The ‘Maldivian...
Hemisphere. It holds that any intervention in the political affairs of the Americas by foreign powers is a potentially hostile act against the USA. The doctrine was central to American grand strategy in the 20th century.
For the record, US President James Monroe first articulated the doctrine on December 2, 1823. (Wikipedia).
Foreign policy change in Maldives:
With the election results and engineer Muizzu being declared as the new President, South Asian commentators have reasons to believe that some “foreign policy” changes may be in the pipeline which may, for sure, heighten the IndiaChina intense rivalry to secure its space in the Maldivian politics. Undeniably, China in recent months, more so after October 2023, has been trying to approach as many countries in South Asia and beyond to secure its space as against the speed with which the Quad strategic partners, individually and collectively both, are trying to halt the Chinese endeavors.
Obviously, as the Quad members wish to expand and enhance their reach across the world, China too is trying to blunt their activities accordingly thus creating a situation that brings China and the US face to face.
India for China is not at all a problem. The 1962 war had already exhibited China’s superiority over India.
Enters Indian Protectorate Bhutan:
Perhaps emboldened by the election results of the Maldivian Presidential elections and with the emergence of more or less a China man Engineer Mohamed Moizzu as the new President in Maldives, the Indian protectorate Bhutan has woken up from deep doze. In a most daring and unexpected move, the Bhutanese Foreign Minister Tandi Dorji left Thimpu for Beijing with a “mission” that speaks of the Bhutanese enthusiasm to come out from the iron clutches of the expansionist Indian regime.
To recall, Bhutan has submitted its Foreign and Defense policies to the mercy of the coercive Indian regime from the Nehruvian days.
This time, however, the Bhutanese foreign minister has set his journey to Beijing without asking permission from the men seated in Delhi. A grand departure from the registered BhutanIndia bilateral immediate past.
This speaks to many things unspoken indeed. Foreign Minister Tandi Dorji landed in Beijing on October 23, 2023, and not only met one of the most powerful and knowledgeable Chinese counterparts Wang Yi but also held friendly discussions on how to settle the China-Bhutan boundary talks that satisfied both neighbors. What puzzled Nepalese observers more was that the two FMs Wang Yi and Tandi, talked about the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries that is long overdue due to the denial of the Indian
regime.
What may have ‘electrocuted’ the men in Delhi’s administration was the statement and the content which read in part, “Bhutan and China have enjoyed a traditional friendship, and Bhutan firmly abides by the one-China principle and stands ready to work with China for an early settlement of the boundary issue and advance the political process of establishing diplomatic relations. FM Tandi thanked China for “its strong support and assistance to Bhutan”. Let’s hope that the gesture of thanks to China by Bhutan must have forced the Indian men controlling Bhutan to gulp several pills of “aspirin” tablets.
Wang Yi assured his Bhutanese counterpart, “China always prioritizes neighborhood diplomacy in its overall diplomacy and adheres to the principle that all countries, big or small, are equals. China respects the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of all countries and the legitimate aspirations and concerns of small and medium-sized countries.” Dr. Lotay Tsering this March 2023 took the courage to visit Beijing without notifying India. Highly placed sources in Nepal say that the sitting Bhutani Monarch has a distinct India bend but his cabinet members and the majority of the Bhutani population possess a soft corner for Beijing. Dr. Lotay upon meeting his counterpart in China later talked to the Belgian paper ‘La Libre said, “We do not encounter major
border
China”.
Our own South Asian diplomatic source claims that a high-level Bhutani team had sneaked into China’s Kunming this year which also went unnoticed by an Indian bullying expert.
The recurring visits by high-placed Bhutan officials to Beijing surely send signals to India that “enough was enough and that the 1949 India-Bhutan bilateral Treaty needed timely review suiting to the changing times. A clear message to India from so far disciplined Bhutan.
All put together, even a dull brain in South Asia could guess that BhutanChina are inching closer to each other which means that Bhutan wants to break the Indian manacles that force Bhutan to become a tail of India's noted rogue of South Asia.
Enters Nepal-the Indian tail:
Never ever in history, China was as weak as it stands today. China is the weakest force in Nepal. It is weak in that China had even invited the sitting Nepal Prime Minister, the Indiaindoctrinated Prachanda to Beijing.
It was a clear case of seducing the Indian brain hoping against hope that one fine morning Prachanda would be friendly to China. Daydreaming is free in China. No costs are involved. China is hoping against hope.
A politically fatigued China wants to invite as many key officials from Nepal to Beijing as much as it can, once again hoping, that the
problems with
men visiting Beijing will henceforth have a China bend. This is impossible for some understandable reasons.
After PM Dahal’s visit to Beijing this September, the Chief of Nepal Army Prabhu Ram Sharma was in Beijing upon “actively attending” the meaning loaded 13th Indo-Pacific Armies Chiefs Conference (IPACC) which was held in China’s rival, India between September 25-27, 2023.
China is not that foolish not to have read between the lines of the Nepal Army Chief’s travel to Delhi to attend the IPACC conference.
Media reports circulating in Kathmandu hint that the Nepal Army is not the same army which it used to be in the good old days of Nepal.
Some ‘interested quarters’ like Dr. Swarnim Wagley even openly say that the entire Army Institution is no more than a white elephant and that this elephant needs dissolution or at least demands immediate downsizing.
A weak, feeble, and puzzled China even is set to invite the incumbent Chief Justice of Nepal to Beijing.
For what purpose, the Nepali CJ is being invited is yet a mystery.
Though China is weak in Nepal, yet, its efforts to secure a comfortable political space continue. And in the process, on September 17, 2023, China sent a special emissary to meet the deposed King Gyanendra.
Our own diplomatic source authentically claims that President Xi Jinping’s special envoy met the King in his current
abode in Maharajgunj at about eleven in the evening on September 17, 2023, as stated earlier. This was the second meeting of Xi Jinping’s emissary with King Gyanendra after 2019. Xi Jinping was in Nepal in the year 2019.
What was interesting about the secret meeting with King GyanendraChinese emissary was that it was timed when the sitting Prime Minister was on his way to the USA to attend the UN General Assembly.
This means that China is desperately searching for a “permanent friend” in Nepal who could well keep erratic India at a distance that in no way harms or say hurts the prime interests of China in Nepal and that being the strict adherence to “One China Policy” and the non-use of the Nepalese soil against Tibet-the underbelly of China. China’s desperation is at an all-time high for some understandable political reasons.
Let’s hope the San Francisco meeting of Joe Biden and Xi Jinping shall keep world peace intact. The world is safe only when China and the US reconcile. Their confrontation bodes ill for world peace.
Dahal...
between liberaldemocratic Israel and the bloodthirsty Gaza’s autocratic Hamas.
Nepal had the effrontery to vote for the resolution which did not unequivocally condemn the October 7 vile terrorist attacks by Hamas and demand the immediate release of hostages taken by Hamas. In a mistaken sense of solidarity with the Arab world and more broadly with the socalled Global South, the Dahal government conveniently forgot that Hamas had butchered over 12 innocent Nepalese students. Where is the sense of justice and retribution?
This government has lost all sense of proportion and an understanding of Nepal’s vital national interests.
However, as a result of their blatant blunders and incompetence, their right and mandate have long expired.
It is high time to get rid of them!