KATHMANDU: In yet another attempt to ramp up intimidation of border findings, the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu has undiplomatically sent a letter to the Nepali Congress (NC) accusing its lawmaker of ‘repeatedly spreading claims’ of encroachment.
In the letter exclusively obtained by Khabarhub, the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu has accused lawmaker Jeevan Bahadur Shahi of Karnali Province of ‘repeatedly spreading claims accusing China’.
The Embassy said the claims have been already confirmed to baseless and untrue.
“The Embassy expresses its deep regret and grave concern about this irresponsible and unfriendly act carried out by NC lawmaker,” reads the letter.
The Embassy further said that Shahi’s claims are not only contrary to the facts but also amount to ‘deliberately undermining the friendly relations between our two countries which the Nepali Congress has always been committed to, trying to impair the interests of both our peoples’.
The Embassy said that it hopes that the Nepali Congress could stand up to safeguard the long-lasting friendly relationship between us and restrain its party members from making any baseless and irresponsible remarks damaging China-Nepal relations.
The Chinese side is willing to continue working with the Nepali Congress to further strengthen China-Nepal friendship and cooperation in various fields for the benefit of our two peoples, it added.
Meanwhile, NC has demanded the formation of a task force to resolve the border dispute with China.
The Central Working Committee (CWC) of the party held on Friday called for the formation of a task force between the two countries to resolve the border issue.
The party further said that its serious attention has been drawn to recent news published by the Chinese government’s mouthpiece.
The meeting concluded that it was concerned over the accusations by Global Times, the mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party.
NC has condemned the news saying that it portrayed the party as a pro-India party and also accused the party of ‘spreading rumors’ of encroachment on Nepali land in Humla by China.
The Global Times had recently reported that the NC, India, and Western powers were inciting Nepal-China border dispute and that Jeevan Bahadur Shahi, who is also a central member of the Congress, was leading anti-China activities.
A statement issued by the party after the meeting said, “The party condemns the baseless and objectionable remarks of the Global Times. Nepal’s national integrity, sovereignty, and security are our highest interests. The party believes in maintaining relations with all its allies, including neighboring countries, on the basis of sovereign
equality.”
The NC has made it clear that it was against any encroachment and violation of Nepal’s sovereignty and national integrity by any country.
Full text of the letter by the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu
EMBASSY OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
November 13th , 2020
Nepali Congress
Kathmandu
The Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Nepal noticed that Mr. Jeevan Bahadur Shahi, the Nepali Congress lawmaker of Karnali Province, has been repeatedly spreading claims accusing China of “encroaching the Nepali territory” which have been verified and confirmed baseless and untrue. The Embassy expresses its deep regret and grave concern about this irresponsible and unfriendly act carried out by a NC lawmaker.
The China-Nepal border has been under scientific and professional management and has maintained peace and stability for the past nearly 60 years. With regard to Mr. Shahi’s accusation, the Chinese side dispatched several expert teams to conduct field survey and investigation. It has been found that the alleged 9 buildings China constructed is 1.04 kilometers away from the closest borderline and is well located in Chinese territory. The pillar No. 12 is exactly located at where it should be in accordance with the coordinates as stipulated in boundary treaty and protocols and has never been unilaterally re-erected or moved by either side ever since it was set up in 1962.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of Nepal has made clarification to the same effect based on professional investigation and analysis by the Department of Survey of Nepal in its press statement released on September 23, 2020. It has also been cleared that during the so-called inspection led by Mr. Shahi, neither has the Chinese side sent .any personnel to Pillar No. 12 and fired tear gas canisters at the Nepali team as claimed by Mr. Shahi, nor has the Chinese side threw stones at the Nepali armed police force during its patrols near the pillars and dispersed border inhabitants from the Nepali side while they were farming or herding in the border areas.
China and Nepal are good neighbors and friends. China has always respected the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Nepal. The two countries settled their border question through friendly consultations as early as in the 1960s, to which the Nepali Congress made tremendous efforts and contribution as the then Prime Minister Mr. BP Koirala signed the Agreement on the Question of the Boundary with China, laying a solid foundation for the development of friendly relations between our two countries. The two sides have since established mechanisms to keep close communication and coordination on border affairs. In accordance with the provisions of the Boundary Treaty and Protocols, professional authorities from both sides are fully capable of determining the specific alignment of the boundary on the field and solving whatever border matter whenever it arises.
There won’t exist such thing as so-called encroachment on each other’s territories between China and Nepal. Instead, the China-Nepal border has become the bond of friendship and cooperation between us. The two sides have reached a series of agreements on trans-border trade, payment, pasturing of livestock by border inhabitants and other matters, with a view to facilitating and improving the lives of border inhabitants.
It would be noted that the Xizang (Tibet) autonomous region of China has for years been helping the people of the northern part of Nepal including Humla district by providing facilitation to utilize highways on the Chinese side of the border for transportation of necessity supplies in winter seasons as well as providing assistance in various forms with good will.
Shahi’s claims are not only contrary to the facts but also amount to deliberately undermining the friendly relations between our two countries which the Nepali Congress has always been committed to, trying to impair the interests of both our peoples. The Embassy hopes that the Nepali Congress could stand up to safeguard the long-lasting friendly relationship between us and restrain its party members from making any baseless and irresponsible remarks damaging China-Nepal relations. The Chinese side is willing to continue working with the Nepali Congress to further strengthen China-Nepal friendship and cooperation in various fields for the benefit of our two peoples.
Regards.
Embassy of the People’s Republic of China Kathmandu
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