China should cancel the Nepali Banknote Printing Contract forthwith
A Chinese security printing press has received a contract to print various denominations of Nepal’s banknotes, including the latest Nepalese Rupee (NRs) 1,000 note, as reported on Sunday, citing an official of Nepal’s central bank.
On the face of it there is nothing wrong with such commercial contracts but there is a sinister plan underneath. The banknotes depict a map which shows a part of Indian territory as Nepalese. With China giving permission to its Security Printing Press to print such notes is a direct challenge to India. No amount of if & buts by Chinese Foreign Office or Communist mouthpiece Global Times can obfuscate this move.
No wonder Indian media outlets have taken up this deliberate Nepal-China move quite strongly and rightly linked it up with the border dispute and China trying to expand its influence. However such foolish moves by China to try subterfuge through economic and trade cooperation between Nepal and China will only backfire finally. China is trying to work psychologically through a narrow geopolitical lens that would would harm stability between China and India.
Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), the central bank of Nepal, has awarded a contract to China Bank Note Printing and Minting Corp to print banknotes in the denominations of NRs 50, NRs 500 and NRs 1,000, Guru Prasad Paudel, spokesperson of the NRB, was quoted as saying in the PTI report.
According to the contract, which was awarded recently, the Chinese security press will design, print and supply the banknotes within nine months, said PTI, citing the official. The Chinese firm was selected on the basis of the lowest evaluated bid, according to the report.
China Banknote Printing and Minting Corp won a contract previously in 2016 to print 210 million 100 Nepalese Rupee banknotes, and has since won multiple bids for Nepal’s banknote printing projects, according to China Media Group.
In October, NRB selected China Banknote Printing and Minting Corp through open tender to print 420 million 50 NRs banknotes, a release by China’s Ministry of Commerce said.
NRB on Thursday issued new NRs 100 notes carrying a revised national map of Nepal that includes the Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura regions — territories that belongs to India.
These areas are Indian territory and have always been under India’s control, but Nepal has suddenly started claiming that they fall within its territory under the 1816 Treaty of Sugauli signed between Nepal and Britain.
India Today released a video program on YouTube on Sunday that saw the Chinese firm winning the contract to print most Nepalese banknotes as a “Big worry for India,”. Kathmandu is certainly “falling deeper into China’s embrace.”
Such moves by China using trade and commerce with smaller countries like Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh reflects the persistent desire of Communist Party of China to try economic control over these SAARC countries and keep them in a position as to oppose India.
India as such has no objection to China and Nepal having a normal and legitimate economic and trade cooperation, process that benefits countries in the region, including Nepal.
However China is always looking for grounds to interfere in India’s areas of security concerns. Recently an Indian woman from Arunachal Pradesh was harrassed over her passport. India should not longer remain passive.
A strategy must be planned to highlight all activities of the Tibetan Government functioning from Dharamshala. Tibet must be helped to regain its independence at the earliest. India must also upgrade its relationship with Taiwan. Both nations must establish full diplomatic relationship.
China and India are both major Asian countries and World power. Deeper China-India cooperation at international level would better align with the two countries’ development goals and contribute more to the wellbeing of the entire planet and humanity.
