Nepal-China Security Issue in the Context of Belt and Road Program Implementation

Nepal-China security cooperation is in a progressing way since some years. Defense cooperation on multiple spheres could display the accumulative understanding and coherence on political-security realm. Due to the geo-security aspect, China has been concerned on its bordering region with Nepal. Defense cooperation since 2015 has been growing exponentially with technical supports, exchanges and joint training. This paper concludes that security issue between Nepal and China is the prominently significant agenda on bilateral cooperation. It is also concomitant with great powers interest in South Asia. Some section of security experts in Nepal opined that with the establishment of Republic system, China searched established state power to foster continues collaboration in Nepal. In course of it, China found Nepal’s security agencies a trustful for enhancing cooperation as a stable state power and institutions. Peace and stability in the geo-strategically significant Nepal definitely contribute for the entire region and help to reduce regional politico-security imbalance, confrontation and zero-some game. Nepal-China con-structive defense cooperation depends on the seriousness, pragmatism and rational efforts of two countries’ national leadership. Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has given opportunity for two countries to reach at consensus on common issues and execute policies regarding the broader area of partnership. This research has used “comprehensive approach” as a theoretical framework and is based on qualitative study, and documents/archive study and interview tools are used for data collection.


Introduction
Though China has initiated reform and opening up policy formally since 1978, How to cite this paper: Sharma, B. P. (2021). Nepal-China Security Issue in the Context of Belt and Road Program Implementation. Open Journal of Social Sciences,9,[91][92][93][94][95][96][97][98][99][100][101][102][103][104][105][106][107] the real socio-economic development process took the ground since 1985 with structural reform on economic front. China's bilateral and multilateral relations increased largely with many countries since reform and opening up. Written history says that since Licchavi Dynasty of Nepal at around 6th century, Nepal and China began exchanges on the areas like trade, culture and other related bilateral issues (Acharya, 2018).
Nepal and China both have long civilizations and history. The relations between Nepal and China have been marked by understanding, mutual support, friendliness, respect for each other's sensitiveness and cooperation (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 2019). History shows that trans-Himalaya region is geo-strategically and geo-politically important and its environmental factor is also issue of the concern to the rest of the world since long time. With the changing regional and world scenario, Nepal has formulated and implemented balanced and relevant national security strategy (Wang, 2005). Nepal due to its geographical location, always need to be conscious on dealing with neighbor powers without using one another and being stick on national interest (Bhasin, 2005).
China confronted large external aggression at the time of Manchu dynasty, which eventually shakes regional balance and driven to collapse of the dynasty itself. China felt more weakness witnessing the technological force of the West (Hansen, 2012). There were little exchanges between Nepal and China, when China faced internal troubles since . After that two countries have again commenced cooperation. Nepal was among the very few countries in the world to recognize and maintain bilateral relations with People's Republic of China (PRC). Nepal and China formally established diplomatic relations in 1955 and two countries vowed to expand multiple exchanges and cooperation based on mutual understanding and trust. State visit of Nepali Prime Minister BP Koirala to China in March 1960 and his meeting with Chinese President and Chairman of Communist party of China (CPC) Mao Zedong was very historical to harness political, economic, security and cultural-educational exchanges and cooperation (Sharma, 2019). Later, Nepali King Mahendra did a lot to build up bilateral relations of two countries to a newer height. China's assistance to Nepal's development increased in his tenure. With signing on the framework of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2017, Nepal is said working hard to make priorities for her national development. With coming in power, President Xi tries hard to broaden the area of cooperation with the neighbor countries. For further detail, his domestic and external priority-agendas can be seen in his books to understand the Chinese new perspective on cooperation (Xi, 2014(Xi, , 2015. Nepal-China as both are neighbor countries, still level of cooperation and exchanges is not enough in a way leaders of both countries committed at bilateral meetings (Sharma, 2018;Manandhar, 1999). Nepali people expect that northern border with China should be more flexible to them for cross-border trade and exchanges. Since signing the border agreement, Nepal-China has been successfully maintaining order at the border area (Nepali, 2001;Bhattarai, 2010). Due to open border mechanism between Nepal and India without scientific-techno-logical mechanism, Nepal has been facing deep security challenges from Southern border and there has been high public demand to regulate and manage the border properly. Nepal and India need to create understanding with proper management mechanism on border areas addressing pertinent challenges (Bhasin, 1994). In the northern part, Nepal and China could build understanding to make easy access on border side, even as not like as Nepal-India open border mechanism. Since 2017, upgrading of Rasuwagadhi border seems has been going in a right track. In Rasuwa district, Chinese government companies supported for dry port, 100 MW Rasuwagadhi hydroelectric plant and to complete the "Friendship Bridge" (Mulmi, 2019). India's hegemonic posture towards the neighbor countries pressed the countries like Nepal to take support and alternative trade-transit route from China. Some Indian expert says India must shoulder its own share of blame for not managing the neighbor relations well (Rajagopalan, 2018). The signing of a treaty of trade and transit with China on March 22, 2016, could end India's domination on this sphere and open the door for development in Nepal (Dahal, 2018).
This paper analyzes as per the basic research questions on what is the situation of Nepal-China security issue, how to enlarge two countries defense cooperation and why the geopolitically vital Nepal is a significant for China's security concern? This study shows that Nepal-China security cooperation in more pragmatic sense has increased since 2015. In his first term as a Prime Minister of Nepal, K.P Sharma Oli commenced some historical initiative to broaden military-level cooperation with China. And China has increased assistance since then. Furthermore, at his second term as a PM, Oli did even more to harness security cooperation, which culminated with joint military exercises, increasing exchanges and expansion of Chinese military assistance to Nepali security forces. It is also Nepal's responsibility for not allowing any anti-Chinese activities using Nepali soil. High-level military visits from both sides denote the sophisticated defense cooperation commenced in the new era. China seems always serious on Tibetan issue and possible foreign involvement to create instability using Nepali soil. Nepal till now succeeds to assure China for not letting anti-China activities and plot using her soil. The major questions of the paper are as follows: 1) How to analyze Nepal-China security issue in the context of historical development?
2) What is the geo-political and geo-strategic dimension of the Nepal-China security issue?
3) How does Nepal-China security issue be noteworthy for BRI programs implication process?

Theoretical Framework and Methodological Approach
Comprehensive approach of international relations is used to analyze the Nepal-China security relations. This approach is started to use widely on international relations and security studies discipline since 1970. United Nations is one of the strong agencies to use this approach to describe international behavior, events and activities. The purpose of such an approach are cooperation among nations when reasonable and integration capabilities when possible to develop both a shared vision of strategic objectives and an end state, requiring mutual awareness of risks, threats and actions of participants (Jasper and Moreland, 2015). This approach support to judge, analyze and acknowledge the patterns of relations between actors in all positive and negative circumstance. "A Comprehensive approach is taken to mean the employment of unified principles in planning and conducting with all relevant actors in an increasingly complex environment" (Ibid.). This approach is widely accepted, and new practices based on this approach hope to generate new idea and pattern on related area. It supports to analyze and give the theoretical ground for international actor's behavior (Jasper and Moreland, 2014).
In this paper, comprehensive approach is used to analyze, judge and evaluate the overall security relations between Nepal and China particularly since 1955.
This approach provides theoretical basements to analyze situation and guide toward the conclusion points. Theoretical clarity and basement structurally help to generalize even the complex and diverse issues in a systematic way and give direction for further research work. This research is qualitative in nature and descriptive in form. Secondary data are used and tries hard to make proper validity and authenticity of the data.

BRI and Security Aspects Aligned with It
Chinese president Xi Jinping has formally announced Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2013, and requested to the global community to comprehensively participate at the global platform of cooperation. Though BRI concept was first time formally proclaimed in 2013, Chinese related ministries had jointly issued formal papers about it in 2015. According to President Xi, BRI is not a project or strategy or campaign but it is a platform for international cooperation, launched by China but for the rest of the world (Cai, 2017;. Chinese society is still following the principles of Confucianism on their daily life and societal-cultural work, and China now working to expand the knowledge of Confucianism for the modern world (Daniel and Chaibong, 2003). National Devel- China is still a developing country and its experience on socio-economic progress could be beneficial to developing world (Huang, 2015). As mentioned in a BRI statement, all parties could get benefits sharing their interests and could build up grand cooperation for long-term social-economic achievement (Wu, Wang and Liu, 2016). BRI generates the new issue on socio-economic development and connectivity from new aspect at the time of critical moment on world politics due to anti globalization drive and rightist activities in many countries. If positively implemented the spirit of BRI, it could support China to enhance its soft power sphere too (Sharma and Khatri, 2018). China's initiation of effective cooperation in South Asia could produce geo-strategic significance of the region (Cheng, 2010).
Security concern is genuinely aligned with BRI based cooperation. Nepal and China security cooperation issue has become in a front level of discussion between two countries. China's border security concern and Nepal's regionally geo-strategic location has pressed two countries to have tangible cooperation on common security issue and harness multiple level of understating. Coexistence", also known as Panchasheela. Developing world due to their own structural problem and bad governance practices sometime lost capacities to maintain relations with major powers and get the benefits (Diamond, 1999;Fukuyama, 2009).

Impacts of Bilateral Relations on "Security Concern"
In comparison to King Tribhuvan, his son King Mahendra was more pragmatic and conscious on national issues. He is also said an architect of Nepal's modern  Rose (1971) writes that Nepal has taken a way to expand communication with other civilizations and broaden its spheres.
Previously, guidance and suggestions of King Prithvi Narayan Shah had significant impacts on formulation and implementation of Nepal's foreign policy (Stiller, 1968). Former Prime Minister Kritinidhi Bista was also firmed leader to take pragmatic approach to maintain strong friendship with China. He argued that Nepal couldn't compromise on its sovereignty while dealing with India, but search more international ground and support for increasing national strength and capability (Panchayat Smarika, 1986). Though there were lot commitments on words, India's Modi government is almost failed to win the trust of neighbor countries (Ganguly, Chauthaiwale & Sinha, 2016). No doubt that strong Nepal can only deal with neighbor countries with clear agendas. Both B. P. Koirala and King Mahendra had same approach on this point to make all efforts for building weigh and strength of Nepali internal power (Sharma, 2018). Analyzing the King Mahendra era, professor Yubaraj Sangroula (2018, p. 444) writes, "regardless of consequence, the relation between Nepal and China, in that given circumstances, was virtually a life line for Nepal's interest of preserving its independence as well as national integrity." Sometime Nepali leadership and scholars talks on Nepal-India-China trilateral partnership. China is said shows positive posture on it but India's position is not still clear (Hogg, 2010). Nepali leadership need to give more pragmatic emphasize on it. More discussion and work on it can give more bases to know the significance of it (Jaiswal and Kochhar, 2016).
Tentatively direct monarchy-led Panchayat system was much more positive in security relations with China than post-1990 democratic governments. Since 1950, political parties and monarchy tried to link them with global agencies and community to upgrade their national status and role (Joshi and Rose, 1966;Rose, 2000). After around 30 years of rule, Panchayat system was collapse in 1990. One of the major reasons behind it was its incapability and corrupts governing ways to address the structural and genuine problems of the nation. After political change in 1991, India was positive with new government and political parties of Nepal (Upreti, 2009). There has been lack of stability at the post 1990 democratic era. Most of the new democracies in the world are failing in terms of governance and to win the real trust of people because of their illiberal nature and lack of capacity to provide delivery properly (Zakaria, 1997).

New Era and New Emerging Security Issues
With the massive rise of China's economy-military power, geo-strategic equation is deeply changing in Asia region (Shambaugh, 2005). China' rise gives an opportunity to expand intercourses and think for new regional and global order.
Since the time of independent India's first elected Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, India's neighbor policy is regarded as hegemonic and big brother mentality. Nepal can be a viable bridge between two giants' economies China and India, for it Nepal should starts formal tangible discussion to both neighbors (Shisheng, 2015). Foreign minister Pradeep Gyawali said that government is working very closely with Chinese officials to take advantages from BRI and maintaining high-level friendship (Xinhua Net, 2019a).
Since Xi Jinping came in power of CPC and Chinese nation, he has been giving immense importance to the issues related with neighbor countries and even  (Wang and Lu, 2016). Professor S.D. Muni of Jawaharlal Nehru University of India was worried on China's increasing presence in Nepal. According to him, China's outreach into Nepal was part of its overall global and Asian strategy (Outlook India, 2019). Due to geo-political and geo-strategically significant location, Nepal is in eyes of most of the power countries of the world. In the 21st century, more cooperation and collaboration need to be harness among states to fight for hunger and end the dire poverty globally (Sachs, 2005). New regional dimension, perspective and modern technologies have pressed to sort out security challenges. Railway project is also linked with two countries' security matter. At his budget speech finance minister Yubaraj Khatiwada said that Nepal will complete the detail project report, feasibility study and construction work on the Kerung-Kathmandu railway in the next two years (Bhusal, 2019b).
With Chinese president Xi Jinping's Nepal visit of October 12 to 13 of 2019, the two countries have decided to elevate Nepal-China comprehensive partnership to strategic partnership of cooperation. As President Xi said, it is also Nepali aspiration to become land-linked country and open easy access to rest of the world for cooperation and partnership. Particularly, post 1978 situation, Chinese leadership shows pragmatic and objective posture to extend multiple cooperation with the rest of the world (Kuhn, 2010).
Till now, Nepali establishment have succeeded to assure Chinese side that Nepali soil will not be given to use against China and any types of anti-China activities will be controlled and stopped by using state apparatus. For peace and stability, developing countries should give genuine pressure to major powers to come in a consensus for pertinent emerging issues of the world (Mearsheimer, 2001). Asia's growth, especially of East Asia, need to be examplenary to other nations to implement their national and external policy with great success (Stiglitz and Yusuf, 2001). Chinese tourists abroad help to make Chinese image better and expand friendship (Kurlantzick, 2007). It could be part of soft power. With strong economic development, now China has something to share with rest of world and play responsible global role (Brown, 2011). Every economic model is believed should be supportive to common people. Economist Thomas Piketty (2014) suggests people-oriented approaches and reform on existing economic model to make it applicable in the domestic context.
The Chinese side shows positiveness to support on Nepal's proposal on Integrated Development, including resettlement of scattered population in the Himalaya region of Nepal (Joint Statement, 2019). With China-Nepal cooperation that could "level" the Himalayas, the region could be developed as a new growth engine of the world and become a fertile ground for other countries to invest (Lan, 2019). Security experts of the region also agree on that stable and prosperous Nepal could also support for the stability of the Tibet and control any kinds of anti-China activities using Nepali soil.

Conclusion
Border security is directly linked with national security, and national security has multiple dimensions. That's why problem on border security hurdle the overall national security of the state. This study shows that since the Nepal-China border treaty of October 5, 1961, two countries have been maintaining peace, order and harmony on the border area.
Since signing formal diplomatic relation in 1955, Nepal has been stick on One-China policy and never gave any anti-China forces to create instability using Nepali soil. While Tibeta-origin Khampa rebel group began arms insurgency against China's Tibetan government in 1960s, Nepal had taken sharp action against rebel group. Nepal army had destroyed them completely and assures to China that Nepal always support peace, unity and stability to its neighbor country. Vociferously Khampa was said aided by America's CIA, Nepal carried out operation very secretly to eliminate the Khampa rebel (Garver, 2001).
Acknowledging the changing politico-socio situation, nationalist leader KP Sharma Oli appeased the people's sentiment and under his leadership his party got complete majority to form the government. In his tenure, Nepal-China has inked significant and historic agreements on trade-transit and many other important agendas. President Xi's visit of October 2019 actually demonstrate China's new willingness to harness multiple cooperation, contribute further more to create harmony among neighbor countries and collective approach to deal with common regional issues in a new era. Comprehensive approach as a theoretical framework supported to move depth of the studies and it has directed to make a tangible conclusion. We should see the Nepal-China security cooperation in a broader perspective. This paper concludes that security issue between Nepal and China is the prominently significant agenda on bilateral cooperation and friendship. It is linked with great powers interest in South Asia and peace-stability of the entire region. In outer sense, it is an issue of Nepal-China, but at the inner-depth it is the case of Nepal-China-India economic-security-politico dimension and China-Nepal-South Asia geostrategic issue and also concern of major Western powers in the region. At the post Indian blockade 2015, Nepal-China security cooperation substantially increases with higher level of cooperation. In realistic perspective, Nepali leadership need to show more confident to broaden its cooperation with China in one hand and at the same time try to bring India in a framework of Nepal-China-India trilateral cooperation. Peace and stability in the geo-strategically important Nepal definitely contribute for the entire region and help to reduce regional politico-security imbalance, confrontation and zero-some game.

Conflicts of Interest
The author declares no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this paper.