KATHMANDU: It may appear astute for many but Nepal’s Ambassador to China Mahendra Pandey has crossed his diplomatic limits by hyping China’s efforts to develop Tibet.
“China’s efforts in developing Tibet are remarkable,” Pandey has said in an interview with CRI, a China state-controlled media.
His comments seemed like he was China’s spokesperson more than a Nepali ambassador.
“We don’t call it Tibet. It’s an autonomous region of China. Therefore, looking through our eyes, China is one, not many,” he has said in the course of his interview adding, “For us, Tibet, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, among others are Chinese territory.”
He went on to add saying, “We look through a different perspective. We have gone through misleading media reports about genocide or other suppression against Uighurs, which is not true. However, as per the information that I have received after coming here to China.”
In the interview, he has said he would visit the Uighur region sometime shortly saying that he has not “found any such inhuman instances or behavior” as reported in the media against the Uighurs in China.
Commenting on Ambassador Pandey’s video, political analyst and foreign affairs expert, Arun Kumar Subedi said, “I don’t understand what compelled him (Pandey) to talk like a spokesperson of China.”
Stating that Pandey has, in the interview, repeatedly praised China for its development and China’s internal matters, Subedi added that an ambassador should not forget his/her diplomatic conduct.
Appreciating Tibet’s what he said “rapid development”, Ambassador Pandey has said, “Tibetans are well-off when it comes to health, education, economy, among other issues. You can see rapid development in the infrastructure sector. There has been a significant development in Tibet, and the whole world has witnessed.”
Therefore, he added, making opinions on Tibet by listening to fake stories can have a negative impact.
“I suggest one and all make an opinion on the basis of the development in Lhasa. In fact, China should be appreciated for Tibet’s development,” Pandey has said.
Pandey had earlier in an interview with Global Times, Chinese government’s mouthpiece, had hailed China-Nepal relations while criticizing India and Indian as well as foreign media for trying to ruin China-Nepal relations.
His interview then had drawn criticism calling it “undiplomatic”.
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