The evidences of the relation between Nepal and China from ancient times can be found in various mythologies. According to Buddhism Manjushree had chopped the hill of Chovar and made Kathmandu valley appropriate for residence. Lichhavi king Anshuverma has been found taking the policy of maintaining a very cordial relation with northern neighboring country China and India.
The fact of Nepali princess Bhrikuti being married with the Tibetan king Tron-Shan Gampo can be found not only in the history of Nepal but also from the Tibetan sources. During same period before about seven hundred years a Nepalese artist named Araniko had gone to China and there he had made various magnificent arts and sculptures. However, the formal diplomatic relation of Nepal with China was established in 2012 BS (10August10, 1995). China is a good neighboring country situated in the northern side of Nepal.
China has assisted Nepal in the development of various sectors like transportation, industry, hydroelectricity health etc. Araniko Highway, Prithvi Highway, Syaprubesi-Rashugadi Highway, Ringroad of Kathmandu etc. are major highways that have been constructed with the aid of China. Similarly, industries like Banshbari Shoe Industry of Kathmandu, Harishiddi Brick and Tile Industry of Lalitpur and Bhrikuti Paper Industry of Nawalparasi are included in the major industries established with the Chinese aid. Among them Bansbari Shoe Industry has been closed already whereas other industries are running and privatized. Likewise, China has also supported Nepal for the construction of International Assembly Building of Baneshwor, City Hall of Bhrikuti Mandap, Civil Hospital of Minbhawan and Sunkosi Hydroelectricity Project.
Important facts related to the relation between Nepal and China:
• On August 1, 1955 AD, the diplomatic relation was established based on principals of panchaseel.
• On 25 April, 1960, Nepal and China signed an agreement to maintain the relation of good neighbor which was signed by the then prime minister of Nepal B.P Koirala and that of China Chau En-Lai.
• On October 5, 1961, an agreement was made by Nepal and China to systematize the border between these two countries.
• On 15 October, 1961, construction of Kodari Highway was inaugurated and completed in the year 1967.
• In 1976 Nepal had disarmed the Khampa rebels of Tibet.
• King Birendra of Nepal had visited China for ten times. These visits also contributed to make the relation between Nepal and China much cordial.
• Nepal has been always giving equal treatment towards the friendly country by favoring the One China Policy.
South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC):
This regional organization was established after the Dhaka Manifesto was signed in the first SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) Summit held in December 8, 1985 in Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh. The founding members of this organization are Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Bhutan. This organization was established with the goal to promote welfare of the people of South-Asian region by bringing economic development and social progress and cultural development in the region. The Dhaka Manifesto was signed by the then heads of the states or heads of the governments:
Objectives of SAARC:
(a) To enhance the welfare of South-Asian people and to uplift their living standards.
(b) To speed up economic development, social progress and cultural development of this region and to provide opportunity to realize the likelihood of dignified livelihood.
(c) To maintain and promote interdependency among the South-Asian countries.
(d) To contribute in increasing mutual trust and understanding and to evaluate each other’s problems.
(e) To increase mutual support actively in the economic, social, cultural, technological and scientific sectors.
(f) To expand support with other developing countries.
(g) To promote mutual cooperation regarding the issues of common interest in the international forums.
(h) To maintain a cooperative relation among the international and regional organizations having same types of objectives.
Principles of SAARC:
i. The structure of the organization shall be based upon the notion of mutual cooperation, equal sovereignty, regional indignity, political independence, non-interference to the internal issues of others and common welfare.
ii. Such cooperation instead of being competitor of bilateral or multilateral supportive for that.
iii. This type of cooperation would not be against bilateral or multilateral responsibilities.
SAARC related offices situated in Nepal:
(a) SAARC Secretariat
(b) SAARC Tuberculosis Centre
(c) SAARC Cultural Centre
(d) SAARC Leprosy Centre
(e) SAARC Information Centre
Seventeenth SAARC Summit:
The seventeenth SAARC Summit of Addu Island of Maldives inaugurated in Kartik 24, 2068 BS (November 10, 2011) was concluded in Kartik 25, by issuing a Manifesto with 20 points. In the very Summit it was declared that the upcoming eighteenth SAARC Summit would be organized in Nepal in the beginning of 2013 AD. However, it appears that due to the internal reasons of Nepal the eighteenth SAARC Summit may not be held in Nepal or may get postponed. ( It is being held in Kathmandu this November: ED).
Some important facts about SAARC:
• The SAARC Secretariat performs the administrative functions of SAARC.
• The logo of SAARC was designed by Sailendra Maharjan of Kirtipur, Nepal.
• India contributes the biggest part for the fund of SAARC.
• Yadavkanta Silwal is the first Nepalese to be the Secretary of SAARC.
• Since April 4, 2007 Afghanistan also has been member country of SAARC.
• Nepal, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are the four countries to acknowledge Nepalese language as a national language.
• India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Maldives are the SAARC countries subsequently in area from larger to smaller.
SAARC and Nepal:
The then king of Nepal Birendra had played important role in the establishment of SAARC. He thought that even the neighboring countries could be benefited by the utilization of enormous water resources of Nepal. He had also a view that these countries could mutually utilize means and resources available in other countries. With due respect to this opinion, SAARC was established with the objective to increase the mutual support among the countries of this region.
Since 1981 Nepal had been playing an active role from Foreign Affairs Secretary, Minister for Foreign Affairs to Head of the State level for the establishment of SAARC. Nepal has been involving in the high level commissions of SAARC, taking part actively in the formulation and documentation of its policies and programmes after the establishment of SAARC.
The Secretariat of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) has been established in Nepal. One of the founders of SAARC, Nepal has been determined for the progress and development of this organization from the very beginning. The member countries of this organization allocate their turn one after another to organize the Summits. Therefore, third and eleventh Summits have been held in Nepal and the eighteenth SAARC Summit is to be held in Nepal in 2013 AD. ( It is 2014: Ed).
SAARC has been increasing mutual cooperation and support in various sectors like agriculture, health, family planning, transportation, post office, weather etc. and also giving emphasis in the areas such as welfare of women and children, to control drug abuse, cooperation against terrorism, according to its objectives. However, the internal conflict between big SAARC countries like India and Pakistan has been also affecting countries having impartial image like Nepal and this organization has not been successful to achieve all of its targeted goals. But, Nepal has been playing much more effective role than any other SAARC countries to achieve its goal. It has been possible only because of Nepal has adopted clear foreign policy.
It has been mentioned in the SAARC charter that SAARC was established with an expectation of peace, stability, unity and development in SAARC region following the principles of the charter of United Nations Organization, non-align movement, and especially, to respect sovereignty of others and non-interference in others internal issues and peaceful settlement of all the disputes. Similarly, it has also been mentioned in the SAARC charter that since it is very essential to establish peace, social justice, economic progress in the world, at least a good neighborhood can be established within the SAARC region by increasing mutual support and understanding. It is also written in the SAARC charter that head of the states all the SAARC countries would assemble once in a year to discuss upon the issues of mutual welfare and organize other meetings as per necessarily and form different commissions. However, established with such important goals, SAARC has not been found successful to accomplish remarkable works according to the purpose of its establishment.
No comments:
Post a Comment