The China Study Center (CSC) organized a Talk Program on April 10, 2016 in Kathmandu with special reference Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s recent visit to China.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare Chandra Prakash Mainali was the Chief Guest and His Excellency Mr. Wu Chuntai, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China, was the Guest of Honor of the program.
Acting Chairman of China Study Center Mr. Sundar Nath Bhattarai delivered the welcome speech in which he referred to the positive outcome of the recent visit of the Prime Minister of Nepal to China and observed that PM's visit, including that to BOAO, was highly successful. He was of the opinion that Agreements and Joint Statement, bestowed with transit rights for Nepal's free access to see through Chinese ports, and many other areas of Nepal's benefits, have opened up new vista of cooperation and collaboration and Trans-Himalayan connectivity boosting bilateral relations to a new height of strategic relationship.
Bhattarai hoped that the visit would further consolidate Nepal-China relations. The Chief Guest and the Guest of Honour jointly released two publications, namely, Special Issue of ‘Friendship’ Journal of Nepal-China Studies to mark the 60th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Nepal and China (1955-2015) and a book 'My Father Deng Xiaoping' by his distinguished daughter Madam Deng Rong, translated into Nepali by the General Secretary of the Center Dr. Upendra Gautam,
Gautam addressing the interaction program highlighted the significance of these two publications and observed that Nepal-China relations are marked by mutual understanding and that both countries ‘need each other for peace and prosperity not only at bilateral level but also in the entire region’.
The Talk Program was also addressed by UML leader Mahendra Bahadur Pandey- former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Shambhu R Simkhada-former ambassador and Prof. Dr. Madan K Dahal- senior economist.
The three speakers looked at the recent visit of the Prime Minister to China from various perspectives focusing on the outcome and implementation aspect of the Agreements and the Joint Statement, political and strategic significance of the PM’s visit and the economic implications of the Agreements and the Joint Statement.
All the speakers described the agreement on Transit-Transport as a major achievement which would reduce Nepal’s dependency on a particular country (implied India) and make this country ‘land linked’ rather than land-locked’.
Former Minister for Foreign Affairs Mahendra Pandey remarked that PM Oli’s recent visit to China had further enhanced the deeply rooted relations between the two countries. He was of the opinion that each country has its own perceptions in context of its history, culture and environment and Nepal need not take them otherwise. He said that China is an intimate friend of Nepal in the context of history, culture and geography and added that PM's visit has opened up new avenues of cooperation and development.
Dr. Shambhu Simkhada, foreign affairs expert and former ambassador, made the following observation, “Nepalese see China as a friendly neighbor and a benign neighborhood power, ready to help whenever it can but keeping its hands off policy in Nepal’s internal affairs”.
Dr. Simkhada in his paper talked about great trans- Himalayan civilizations and pleaded strongly for the establishment of a Trans-Himalayan Institute of higher learning for exchange of scholarship and experience from both sides of the Himalayas.
Prof. Madan Dahal, in his presentation, compared the economies of both Nepal and China and observed that Nepal’s economic development is a challenging proposition and a painful struggle for ‘survival and growth’.
Chief Guest Mainali commended China Study Center for its two publications and paid glowing tributes to China’s Paramount Leader Deng Xiao Peng and dwelt at some length on the historical evolution of Nepal with its geo-political location between the two Asian giants.
The Chinese ambassador also commended the Center for two publications and thanked the center for its "continued contribution to enhancing Nepal-China friendship over the past decades".
He said that it was highly appreciative of the center to bring out the Nepalese translation of the book on Deng Xiaoping, who, he said was "The Chief-Architect of China's Reform and Opening-Up which led to tremendous economic and social progress in china and fundamentally changed China's international status".
Ambassador Wu emphasized that "China respects the right of Nepal to choose its own development path and stands ready to enhance cooperation and coordination in bilateral, regional and international level". "That's our commitment", he said. Describing Nepal and China as "good neighbors, who enjoy historical friendship and comprehensive cooperation". He concluded his remarks by emphatically saying: ‘Let us join hands and work together'.
Prof. Dr. Mohan Lohani, CSC advisor, proposed the vote of thanks. The program was largely attended by scholars, intellectual, political leaders, academics, civil society members, former diplomats and friends of the media.
Both publications were distributed to the participants free of cost.
@telegraph
