KATHMANDU, Dec 24: With the objective to initiate a wider engagement of stakeholders to discuss the implications of BRI in the South Asian region, an international conference on the theme of geopolitics and China’s Belt and Road Initiatives (BRI) in South Asia was organized in the capital on Friday.
The conference organized by the Centre for Social Inclusion and Federalism (CESIF) brought together ex-ministers, analysts, academics, diplomats, bureaucrats, politicians, government officials, journalists and experts from South Asian Countries to discuss upon the issues surrounding China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), its geopolitical implications, the fear of perceived “debt-trap diplomacy” of China and other country-specific concerns.
Addressing the conference, former ambassador Vijay Kant Karna said although labeled as an initiative by China, BRI is a global strategic tool. “With connectivity links and infrastructure projects spanning as many as one hundred and forty countries, China has aimed to create an alternative economic system with self at the center. This could ultimately pose a challenge to the US-led liberal world order,” he said.
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Discussing varied interest of regional and global actors, Karna said that the cause of concern isn’t that global and regional actors are seeking to advance their own interest in Nepal. “In fact, that’s what all states do. The concern, however, is that, if Nepal will be able find the delicate geopolitical balance while still prioritizing its national interests,” he added.
The seminar then proceeded with the first panel discussion on ‘BRI and Nepal-China Relations’ which brought together former foreign ministers Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat and Pradeep Kumar Gyawali. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Mahat highlighted the importance of Nepal-China relationship; and claimed that the BRI carried both opportunities as well challenges for Nepal.
Dr Mahat stressed that the further implementation of the BRI in Nepal should be strictly based on cost-benefit analysis. Talking about the provision of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA), he reiterated that Nepal shouldn’t move ahead with the provision, as it would be financially detrimental.
Former minister Gyawali maintained that Nepal should give a benefit of doubt to China’s BRI. While reiterating that Nepal couldn’t move ahead with commercial loans to undertake BRI infrastructure projects, he claimed that there still is a room for negotiation with China to insist for grants or concessional loans
The seminar then witnessed a series of presentations by four international delegates from South Asia, who all provided their country-specific experiences with BRI. Prof. Srikanth Kondapalli, Dean of the School of International Studies and Professor of Chinese Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University, Harim Watson Peirish from Council for Public Policy (CCP) in Sri Lanka, Dr. Towfiqul Islam Khan from Centre for Policy Dialogue in Bangladesh and Dr. Devendra Kumar from Sai Nath University, India, shared their country-specific experiences on BRI’s opportunities and challenges.
The final panel on ‘Nepal-China BRI Agreement: Sectoral Perspectives’ brought together former commerce secretary Purushottam Ojha, Senior Fellow at IIDS Akhilesh Upadhyay, Former Deputy Executive Director at Institute of Foreign Affairs Dr. Rupak Sapkota and Senior Program and Research Officer at PEI Shreeya Rana. The panel moderated by Amish Mulmi delved into overcoming the challenges of BRI to get better deals with China. The panel, among other things, concluded that Nepal could benefit from better connectivity ties with its northern neighbors but to be able to do so, it is important that Nepal negotiate better with China.
