Nepal’s leader holding meetings with Indian, Chinese envoys

Kathmandu, Nepal - Prime Minister Balendra Shah held his inaugural one-on-one meetings with envoys from China and India on Monday, his office announced. The 36-year-old, commonly known as Balen, has generally eschewed individual foreign visits since assuming office in March. Nepal, a landlocked Himalayan state of 30 million, must carefully navigate the delicate balance between its powerful neighbors, India and China.

Speaking to AFP ahead of his election, Shah expressed his desire to maintain a natural relationship with both nations. Prior to his presidency, Shah had only met foreign ambassadors in groups. June saw visits from India's foreign minister Shisir Khanal, who facilitated diplomatic exchanges, but Shah has largely avoided one-on-one meetings with foreign dignitaries.

The meetings with Indian and Chinese representatives focused on Nepal-India bilateral friendship, mutual interests, development partnerships, and areas of cooperation, according to Shah's office. India has historically viewed Nepal, its Hindu-majority neighbor, as a traditional ally, with open borders in the plains. India accounts for 63% of Nepal's imports, valued at US$8.6 billion, while China represents 13%, or US$1.8 billion, according to World Bank data.

The upcoming meeting with China follows the cancellation of an international academic conference on Tibet, which was slated to take place in Nepal's capital later this month. The conference, featuring over 700 delegates, was halted, the reason for which remains undisclosed. Nepal's government has denied involvement, although the country is acutely sensitive to the issue of Tibet, which Beijing claims as an integral part of its territory.

Beijing, which sent troops to Tibet in 1950, has consistently opposed international activities seen as challenging its sovereignty.