After years of strained relations, China has recently intensified its engagement with the Nepali Congress (NC), Nepal’s oldest and largest democratic party. Over the past decade, the relationship between China and the NC had soured due to various political and diplomatic reasons. However, recent developments indicate a shift in China’s approach, as Chinese diplomats and leaders of the Communist Party of China (CPC) have begun actively engaging with NC leaders.
A notable example of this renewed engagement is the recent visit of an NC delegation led by senior leader Sujata Koirala to China. During the visit, the delegation toured several Chinese cities, including Chengdu, and held meetings with senior CPC officials. This marks a significant step in China’s efforts to strengthen ties with the Koirala family, a prominent political dynasty within the NC.
In early March, Sun Haiyan, Vice-Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, met with Koirala. According to a Chinese readout, Sun praised the NC and the Koirala family for their long-standing commitment to fostering China-Nepal friendship and for upholding the correct stance on issues related to Xizang (Tibet) and Taiwan. Sun emphasized the CPC’s willingness to enhance exchanges and cooperation with the NC and other major political parties in Nepal, urging both sides to focus on implementing the consensus reached between the two countries.
Koirala, in response, reaffirmed the NC’s firm support for the One-China principle and expressed her party’s eagerness to leverage the 70th anniversary of Nepal-China diplomatic relations to deepen mutual understanding and collaboration. This marks a notable shift from the past, when relations between China and the NC deteriorated significantly. One key incident was in 2016, when NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba shared a stage with a representative of the Tibetan government-in-exile at an event organized by the India Foundation in Goa. This incident, among others, led to a period of mistrust and strained ties.
Other factors contributing to the rift included China’s preferential engagement with Nepal’s communist parties, often at the expense of sidelining the NC, as well as the NC’s public criticism of China’s alleged border encroachment and its cautious stance on China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). During this period, Chinese state media frequently portrayed the NC as a pro-Indian party, further exacerbating tensions.
However, relations began to improve following the signing of the Framework for Belt and Road Cooperation during Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s visit to China in December 2023. NC General Secretary Gagan Kumar Thapa and Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba played pivotal roles in facilitating the agreement, despite strong opposition within their own party. Their support for the BRI marked a turning point in China-NC relations, even as senior NC leaders like Prakash Sharan Mahat and NP Saud continued to voice concerns about the initiative, arguing that it contradicted the party’s position against taking loans under the BRI.
Since the signing of the BRI agreement, there has been a noticeable increase in visits by NC leaders to China, and the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu has actively engaged with senior NC figures. This represents a departure from China’s previous approach of primarily engaging with Nepal’s communist parties, a trend that had persisted for over a decade. During this period, China focused on fostering unity among Nepal’s communist factions, leading to a perception among NC leaders that they were being marginalized.
China’s recent outreach to the NC suggests a recognition of the need to broaden its engagement beyond communist parties. This shift is seen as an effort to build a more balanced and inclusive relationship with Nepal’s political landscape. While senior communist leaders have frequently visited China over the years, NC leaders have rarely done so. The current wave of engagement indicates that both sides are working to address past misunderstandings and strengthen bilateral ties.
This renewed engagement comes at a critical juncture, as China seeks to consolidate its influence in Nepal amid evolving regional dynamics. By fostering closer ties with the NC, China aims to ensure that its initiatives, including the BRI, gain broader political support within Nepal. For the NC, this represents an opportunity to reaffirm its role as a key player in Nepal’s foreign policy and to balance its relationships with both China and India.
