China: 5000 Years, America: 200 Years

The Chinese have a long collective memory. Americans have it rather short. And that is a major cultural difference. So, for the Chinese, the 19th century was just yesterday. You have to look at what China went through during western imperialism to understand their defensiveness on issues like democracy and human rights.

My attention has been drawn to this article in the Telegraph.

China lauds Nepal's role for blocking British advancement

Kathmandu: The Chinese Ambassador to Nepal, Sun Heping has said that his country was a "trustworthy" friend of Nepal and that both Nepal and China have treated and supported each other as "equals".

Analysts in Nepal say that Chinese envoy's use of the word trustworthy and equals is loaded with meaning or else why should he have said so.

The Chinese diplomat made these remarks at a program organized by China Study center last week to mark the 50 th anniversary of the establishment of Nepal-China diplomatic ties.

The Chinese envoy surprised many a brains attending the talk program on the topic of "Nepal-China relations: Future prospects" when he pleasingly and very convincingly admitted that his country was in his own words "much grateful to Nepal for firm and strong support in the issue of Taiwan, Tibet and Human Rights". A rare gesture indeed.

In fact there is a feeling in Nepal that it is only China that has been helping and supporting Nepal and not the latter extending any meaningful support to the other side. However, Ambassador Sun Heping's new version of Nepal-China ties has facilitated Nepali authorities to come out of the inferiority complex that Nepal's support to China has remained minimal.

At yet another point, the Chinese Ambassador goes on to say that his country will remain ever obliged (implied) to Nepal for being instrumental in checking what he says "advancing imperial British from reaching the Himalayas in 1814-16 Anglo-Nepal war.

The Ambassador feels in his inner heart that Kathmandu's effort in blocking the advancement of the British then towards his territory might have caused Nepal to pay a heavy price but then yet "it provided a strong security crest to China's South-western region".

The Nepali obligation made then by Nepal appears to have pleased the Chinese envoy which prompted him to declare that "this is one of the glowing illustrations of how Nepal contributed to China's security".

Again a rare gesture indeed.

The Chinese Ambassador presumably became sentimental while evaluating Nepal's historical contribution and admitted that "Yes, I have acknowledged this historical fact". He however, regretted that the acceptance of Nepali contribution came pretty late.

Better late than never.