Nepal PM suggests Chinese ambassador steer clear of Nepal politics

Kathmandu: Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is believed to have suggested to Chinese ambassador Hou Yanqi last week that he is capable of handling challenges within his party without any assistance from other countries, according to people familiar with the matter.


Oli’s comments, the people who asked not to be named added, may have been prompted by happenings in his Nepal Communist Party (NCP). A faction of the party, led by former prime minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has become strident in its opposition to Oli. HT learns that Oli has told his supporters he is open to a split in the party – an eventuality China has been working to avert. China has been seen as playing the role of a peacemaker in the NCP in the past.

The prime minister’s change in stance comes at a time when he is making a concerted effort to mend ties with New Delhi and get the two countries to start discussions on differences over Kalapani, Limpiyadhura and Lipulekh.


A Nepal watcher in India said the shift in PM Oli’s approach could be attributed to an attempt to reclaim the nationalist agenda that was the mainstay of his campaign that resulted in the NCP’s win in 2018. That China lately appeared indifferent to his continuation in the government if this helps avoid a split in the party is also believed to have contributed to Oli’s stand.

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