(TibetanReview.net, Jul12’26) – Following criticisms from staunchly pro-China elements among opposition political party leaders after Tibetans marked the Dalai Lama’s 91st birthday on Jul 6 with an indoor event in capital Kathmandu, the government of Nepal has on Jul 10 reaffirmed its commitment to the one-China policy, reported the kathmandupost.com Jul 10.
Nepal had already banned outdoor, public events to mark the occasion, but this obviously did not satisfy the pro-China Nepali opposition party leaders.
The Kathmandu District Security Committee, chaired by Chief District Officer Ishwar Raj Paudel, had banned public rallies, assemblies, and poster demonstrations on Monday (Jul 6) to prevent ‘Free Tibet’ activities during the Dalai Lama’s birthday, it was earlier reported by english.nepalnews.com Jul 5.
Security forces had been deployed with strict orders to halt any public or vocal events against Nepal’s foreign policy, the report said.
Speaking at a regular press briefing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lok Bahadur Poudel Chhetri did not directly refer to the controversy but said Nepal’s longstanding policy remained unchanged, the report said.
“Nepal is committed to the one-China policy,” Chhetri has said. “Nepal remains steadfast in its established policy of not allowing its territory to be used against the interests of any neighbouring country or any friendly nation.”
The report noted that Chhetri’s remarks came days after former foreign ministers and Nepal’s former ambassador to China questioned whether the government had deviated from its one-China policy by allowing the Jul 6 celebration at Namgyal Residential Lower Secondary School in Nagarjun Municipality.
Lawmakers from the CPN-UML and the Nepali Communist Party were also stated to have raised the issue in Parliament, demanding clarification from the government.