GUWAHATI: School children in Nepal have to learn three languages — Nepali, English and Mandarin Chinese. Thus the message is loud and clear that China has already cast its long shadow over the Himalayan country.
“Students at different levels are also flocking for higher education in China. To encourage this, Beijing has instituted a generous scholarship
The programme,” revealed Arun Budhathoki, Editor-in-Chief of the Kathmandu Tribune and senior correspondent of several reputed internal media entities.
Budhathoki said this while speaking to journalists through video-conferencing. It was part of Guwahati Press Club’s ‘Meet the Press’ programme.
Elaborating further on the growing Chinese influence upon various sectors in the Himalayan kingdom, Budhathoki said that Chinese citizens can now shop in Nepal with their currency – yuan. This provides an unusual contrast to the Nepal Government’s ban on the rupee. Indian tourists to Nepal have to use American dollars as foreign exchange there. This is a clear indication that Nepal has been distancing itself from India to be closer to Beijing. Such a shift can be attributed to the emergence of Maoists as a political force and their stints in Kathmandu.
Dwelling on the relatively stable situation in Nepal, Budhathoki said that peace talks with Maoists have paid dividends, even though a split in Maoist leadership has pushed some hardliners into the path of confrontation. “Even as the political influence of former Prime Minister and supreme Maoist leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has waned, he continues to be relevant, socially,” commented Budhathoki. As for the print media in Nepal, there has been significant growth with several Nepali dailies coming up in recent years, even as a few English dailies continue to hold steady. In electronic media, private TV channels have emerged to offer more choices to viewers. In this context, Budhathoki pointed out that most Indian newspapers are available in Nepal. “However, journalists in Nepal operate under certain restrictions and have to be mindful about security, which naturally makes them more cautious in reporting,” he signed off.
Also Read: Top Headlines