Hope Nepal can 'properly manage' differences as political crisis mounts: China
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China's foreign ministry on Monday said that it hopes Nepal can see the "big picture'' and ''properly manage'' differences as a political crisis intensifies in the country in the aftermath of the parliament's dissolution, leading to a call for fresh elections in the country
China's foreign ministry on Monday said that it hopes Nepal can see the "big picture'' and ''properly manage'' differences as a political crisis intensifies in the country in the aftermath of the parliament's dissolution, leading to a call for fresh elections in the country.
"We hope the relevant parties in Nepal can take into account the national interests and the big picture," foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said in a briefing.
On Sunday, a senior Chinese official had arrived in Kathmandu to help resolve the crisis and to assess the political situation in the country. This is the first such move by any country in the region after the dissolution of Nepal's parliament.
In recent years, China has invested millions of dollars into the Himalayan country which is sandwiched between India and China. As part of Chinese President Xi Jinping's Belt and Road Initiative project, which has been dubbed as the new Silk Road project, China has poured in a lot of money into the country.
"China and Nepal are good neighbors, good friends and good partners. For a long time, the Communist Party of China has maintained close and friendly exchanges with the major political parties in Nepal, which have played a positive role in enhancing political mutual trust, deepening mutual learning about state governance, promoting cooperation, and consolidating traditional friendship'', Lijian added.
The Vice Minister in the International Department of the Communist Party of China, Guo Yezhou is the most senior foreign official to visit Nepal in the aftermath of the parliament's dissolution on December 20, which has triggered the need for an early parliamentary election.
"We noticed the latest political developments in Nepal. As the country's friend and close neighbor, we hope the relevant parties in Nepal can take into account the national interests and the big picture, properly manage internal differences and commit themselves to political stability and national development", Lijian added,
In the aftermath of the announcement, political unrest has flared in the country. People have taken to the streets in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, the Nepal Communist Party is on the verge of a split.