BEIJING – India has been left red faced as Nepal has announced to revivethe $2.5 billion mega hydropower project with China which previousgovernment had halted over Indian pressure.
However Beijing has advised Delhi that India, China and Nepal should stepup “sound interaction for win-win outcomes”, as it congratulated the newNepalese government headed by KP Oli.
After winning the recent parliamentary elections, Oli, widely regarded aspro-China, had said he wants to deepen ties with China to explore moreoptions and get more leverage in his dealings with India “in keeping withthe times”.
Oli had told Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post that he wants to”update” relations with India “in keeping with the times” but at the sametime he would revive the China-backed USD 2.5 billion hydropower projectwhich was scrapped by the previous government citing irregularities.
Commenting on Oli’s remarks, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuangtold a media briefing here that “China congratulates Oli on becoming thenew Prime Minister of Nepal”.
China is willing to work with the new government of Nepal to promotefriendly cooperation between the two countries in all areas and achievecommon development and thus making a contribution to the regional stabilityand prosperity, he said.
About Oli’s comments on his planned approach to ties with India and China,Geng said, “China, Nepal and India are each other’s important neighbouringcountries. The three parties should step up sound interaction for win-winoutcomes.”
Expectations are high in China about Oli’s government as he signed theTransit Treaty with Beijing during his first stint as prime minister in2015 to end dependence on India for his landlocked country to revive thedam.
China has been investing heavily in Nepal blunting India’s influence in theHimalayan country.
In his interview, Oli had said, “we have great connectivity with India andan open border. All that’s fine and we’ll increase connectivity evenfurther, but we cannot forget that we have two neighbours. We don’t want todepend on one country or have one option.”
He also said that “political prejudice or pressure” from rival companiesmay have been instrumental in the scrapping of the dam project. “But forus, hydropower is the main focus and come what may, we will revive theBudhi Gandaki project,” he added.
Oli, 65, who had served as Nepal’s prime minister from October 11, 2015, toAugust 3, 2016, was forced to resign following a political crisis in theHimalayan nation over the Madhesi issue. Madhesis, mostly of Indian-originhad been demanding amendment of the new Constitution to address theirconcerns over-representation in Parliament.