China seeks Nepal Army support against ‘Free Tibet’ activities
[myrepublica.com] CHENGDU, Mar 31: General Xu Qiliang, vice-chairman of China’s Central Military Commission (CMC), has proposed to Nepal’s army chief to increase cooperation in defence strategy between the two countries.
Vice-chairman Xu floated the proposal to Nepal’s army chief, General Rajendra Chhettri, who is on a visit to China, just a few days after Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli the northern neighbor’s willingness to develop long-term bilateral, strategic relations with Nepal.
Chhetri left for China on Sunday, the same day Prime Minister Oli returned home after a week-long visit there.
Xu is regarded as chief of defence affairs at the Central Military Commission (CMC), which is headed by President Xi, while chief of the People’s Liberation Army General Fang Fengui is a member of the commission and chief of the joint staff department of the commission.
Chinese media has stated that Xu urged the Nepal army chief to increase strategic cooperation for regional peace and stability, as part of implementation of the political understanding reached between Prime Minister Oli and the Chinese leadership.
Xu, at the meeting on Tuesday, thanked the Nepal army for its success in controlling anti-China activities in Nepal and sought further cooperation in defence, security, exchange of information, humanitarian cooperation and disaster management.
Meanwhile, chief of the People’s Liberation Army General Fang, who met with Chhetri on Monday, floated a proposal to extend further cooperation to stop “Free Tibet” activities in Nepal. Stating that Nepal-China cooperation has developed into a new model based on the ‘one-belt, one road’ strategy, Fang said military cooperation between the two sides will be part of that strategy.
In response, Chhettri reiterated Nepal’s firm commitment to the One-China policy and assured the Chinese of not allowing any anti-China activities in Nepal. Appreciating the Chinese army’s support to Nepal in the aftermath of the earthquakes last year, Chhettri said the Nepal army was always ready to further strengthen relations between the governments and armies of the two neighbouring countries.
Meanwhile, the two sides signed an agreement on the Chinese army providing 30 million yuan (around 500 million rupees) to the Nepal army. As per the agreement, the Chinese army will help the Nepal army with training, emergency services and mobile hospital operations.
