The Rise of Xi Jinping and Nepal-China Relations

 Lalita yadav

Siraha: The 20th Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), which began on October 16, has been completed. Chinese President Xi Jinping has been elected as the General Secretary of the Communist Party for a third term.

The General Conference of the CPC, the only party leading the power of China, which has become the world's second economic and military power, has drawn the world's attention. Not only Western countries, but also South Asian countries have watched this 20th Congress with interest. In Nepal, which is known as a powerful country of communists in South Asia, it cannot be discussed.

Communist parties of Nepal are excited after the Congress of Chinese Communist Party has concluded. The Communist Party has emerged as a power in Nepal. It has become a headache for some countries, while China has become close to Nepal for that reason. In the second week of October 2019, President Xi visited Nepal after 23 years as the Chinese head of state.

He is a Chinese head of state who, like Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, knows and is interested in Nepal closely. It may be too early to assess how relations with Nepal will develop during Xi's third term. But looking at some aspects emphasized by Xi in the China-Nepal relationship, it seems that with the continuation of Xi, there will be an impact in four areas in Nepal.

First, there will be a tough competition between China and America in Nepal. With Xi's foreign policy of being seen, heard and not suppressed, the US-China relationship has turned into a competition. Even in Nepal, it seems that the Sino-US competition has started through BRI, IPS, MCC and SPP. Second, Xi has adopted a policy of increasing international fraternal relations between communist parties.

Before President Xi's visit to Nepal, a training program was held in Kathmandu between the then Nepal Communist Party (NCP) and CPC. The Indian Ambassador to Nepal Ranjit Ray and Nepali Congress leaders have also analyzed the Chinese role in the formation of the CPN.

Before the division of the CPN, the activities of the Chinese ambassador to Nepal, Hou Yanchi, and now the understanding that China is active for the re-unification of the CPN, is being understood by some diplomats and political parties in Kathmandu.

Thirdly, China has always been a partner in the development of Nepal's infrastructure. But during President Xi's visit to Nepal, Nepal-China relations were defined as strategic partners. In terms of development, the Nepal-China relationship has expanded from a comprehensive partnership to a strategic partnership. During his visit to Nepal, Xi announced a subsidy of 56 billion rupees, while nine BRI projects were discussed.

Xi discussed with Nepal by prioritizing the Kerung-Kathmandu railway. Apart from the BRI project, China is also supporting Nepal in areas such as infrastructure, technology transfer, and modernization of agriculture. Chinese investment has overtaken even India.

Fourth, China's security interest in Nepal has also started to increase. Not only to prevent anti-Chinese activities in Nepal, but also to protect Chinese investments, Chinese interest is increasing. When Chinese President Xi was visiting Nepal, China had prepared to conclude an extradition treaty with Nepal. Concluding that the treaty was stopped due to foreign pressure, Xi warned that those who intervene in China's security from Nepali soil will be crushed.

This shows how sensitive Xi has taken the activities through Nepal for the security of Tibet. The rise of xi Mao Zedong ruled China for 27 years from 1949 to 1976. Mao is respected as a top leader mainly because he freed China from foreign imperialism, led a revolution to liberate the people by ending feudalism internally, and made China self-reliant in security.

Then, from 1978 to 2012, Deng Xiaoping's policy remained for a total of 34 years. China has become an economic superpower under the leadership of Teng, especially by adopting an open economic policy. During Teng's tenure, China benefited greatly by cooperating with the US and the West.

Since 2012, the Xi Jinping era has begun in China. In China, Xi has been given the honor of the supreme leader. It seems that the CPC is trying to promote Xi by establishing him around Mao and Teng Kai. From the 20th congress of the CPC, President Xi became the general secretary for the third term and is certain to become the president as well.

In the 19th session of the CPC held in 2017, the ideas put forward by Xi have been included in the constitution and the ideology of Xi has also been explained. According to the constitution of the CPC, the 19th session opened the way for Xi to remain in leadership for life by changing the provision of being the president of China for two terms and the informal rule of retiring from the leadership after passing the age limit of 67 years.

After becoming president in 2013, Xi launched the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in the world. It is said that the new version of the BRI will be released after the convention with some amendments after the US, European countries, Japan and even India challenged the BRI project through a new project.

In addition, under Xi's leadership, China has launched the Global Security Initiative (GSI) and Global Development Initiative (GDI) projects in 2022. Xi ideology includes terms such as 'socialism with Chinese character', China's national revival i.e. rejuvenation, and 'Chinese dream'.

In socialism with Chinese characteristics, Xi wants to establish a socialism in China that is compatible with Mao's but with a slightly different character by adopting a policy of reducing the gap between the rich and the poor. Plan to develop The Chinese Communist Party's goal is to make China a strong, democratic, civilized, friendly and modern socialist country in 2049, 100 years after the founding of the People's Republic of China.

This is called the Chinese dream. The BRI project has been promoted as a tool to fulfill the Chinese dream. The goal is to make China a middle-income developed country by 2035 and declare China a superpower by 2049. Xi also included the goal of making the export-oriented economy self-sufficient internally, bringing China's western geography to the same level as the eastern coastal region in development, internal unity, the awakening of Chinese nationalism, i.e. the unification of Taiwan and becoming the first power in the world.

In order to achieve this goal, national security should be the first priority in xi ideology. During the 10-year tenure of Xi, about 70 million people have risen above the poverty line. In the control of corruption, Xi is taking aggressive policies and taking action against the high level leaders of the CPC.

Xi has also been changing foreign policy. Like Mao, he has started trying to increase the policy of fraternity among communist parties internationally. Xi has adopted a foreign policy that is not oppressive like Teng's.

Xi has a foreign policy that can be seen, heard and not suppressed. Xi's policy of not attacking others, but giving a strong response if others do, has started to increase tensions between China and the US as seen now.

China in Western Perspective "Let China sleep, when it wakes up, it will shake the world." Especially America and European countries have looked at China based on this expression said by Napoleon Bonaparte about China at the beginning of the 19th century.

From Bonaparte to American writer and professor Francis Fukuyama and from the current US President Joe Biden to some European leaders, the understanding that China wakes up is a threat to our world. American sociologist Barrington Murray has considered the development of the middle class and capital as a necessary condition for democracy.

The belief of the West that cooperation with China will help to establish democracy in China along with the development of capital has not been fulfilled so far. Currently, China is the world's largest middle-class country and capital market, but China's political system has been under the control of the Communist Party for 73 years.

Even after Xi declared the 'Chinese dream' to make China the most powerful and civilized country in the world in 100 years since the founding of the Communist Party, China has become the main competitor for the West. In 'Destined for War', Graham Ellison says - 'China and the US are at great risk of falling into the 'Thucydides Trap'.' showed. Ellison studied 17 cases of transfer of power in history.

In which power was transferred from Britain to America through Sparta and Rome, 12 changes of power ended in war. Five changes of power took place peacefully. Xi wants to change power peacefully. But between China and the US, there is a fierce competition in many fields such as science and technology, trade, strategic, and political systems.

China has started to respond strongly by saying that America has started interfering in China's internal affairs such as the South China Sea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Tibet and Xinjiang. It is not yet possible to tell whether it will be peaceful or through war that Xi has announced to bring power to Asia, mainly to China, peacefully through BRI.

But the CPC realized the need for a strong and established leadership to manage the internal problems within China and for the rejuvenation of China by suppressing foreign interference from the outside and brought Xi to the leadership for the third time.