NEPAL'S LHASA CG ON PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT TO CHINA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 CHENGDU 000031 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP/CM E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL ETRD EINV ENRG SENV CH NP IN SUBJECT: NEPAL'S LHASA CG ON PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT TO CHINA REF: 09 CHENGDU 283 CHENGDU 00000031 001.2 OF 003 ¶1. (U) This cable contains sensitive but unclassified information. Not for Internet distribution. ¶2. (SBU) Summary. The unspoken quid pro quo during the December 26-31 visit of Nepal's Prime Minister to Lhasa and Beijing appears to have been a public statement by Nepal that it would not allow its territory to be used for anti-Chinese activity, in return for Chinese promises of continued development aid, a gradual reduction in tariffs, and promotion of Chinese investment in, e.g. Nepal's hydropower and tourism sectors. Nepal hopes to attract 100,000 Chinese tourists to Nepal in 2011, Nepal's Lhasa CG told Chengdu CG. End Summary. Nepal PM Seeks Strong Bilateral Ties; China Seeks Stable Border -------------- -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Nepal Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal made a successful first official trip to China on December 26-31, with stops in Lhasa, Xian, Beijing, and Shanghai, Nepal's Consul General in Lhasa, Naindra Upadhaya, told Chengdu CG on January ¶31. The PM's visit to Lhasa, cut short by a plane delay, included only two courtesy calls with Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) Party Secretary Zhang Qingli, and then TAR Governor Chamba Phuntsog. While in Lhasa, the PM discussed how to "consolidate bilateral relations," including promoting tourism, trade, and investment. The Nepali delegation on this China visit included Minister of Finance Surendra Pande and 25 businesspersons, only two of whom were present in Lhasa, Upadhaya said. ¶4. (SBU) The Chinese official press portrayed the PM's initial stop in Lhasa as a "signal" that Nepal was looking forward to maintaining stability along its 1,400 km border with China, and beefing up economic cooperation. The Chinese press further quoted PM Nepal as having told 25 Nepali Parliamentarians before his trip to China that Nepal would not allow anyone to use Nepal's territory for anti-Chinese acts -- an oblique reference to Tibetans that Beijing feels support the "Dalai Lama clique." (Note: Nepal Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Jujata Koirala reaffirmed to Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi on December 29 in Beijing that Nepal's policy was to not allow the use of Nepalese territory for anti-Chinese activity, per MOFA's website. End Note.) Hydropower: Discussed, But No Deals Made? -------------- ¶5. (SBU) PM Nepal also discussed hydropower with relevant Chinese officials during his stop in Beijing, Upadhaya said. He was unaware of any hydropower agreements reached during this visit, but noted that hydro deals had been concluded during earlier high-level visits. (Note: Nepal Energy Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat was also present during the Beijing stop. The joint China-Nepal statement issued December 30 in Beijing said that the Nepalese side welcomed "Chinese businesses to actively participate in hydropower construction and development in Nepal." End Note.) Nepal: No Political Pressure to Repatriate Tibetans? -------------- -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Nepal's foreign policy toward China was to "be a good neighbor" and "maintain friendly relations," Upadhaya explained. At the same time, he added, Nepal had to maintain a balance under which it did not lean to heavily toward either China or India. Upadhaya claimed to be unaware of any pressure by China to repatriate Tibetans from Nepal; Tibetans with valid visas were allowed to stay, while in some cases Tibetans who overstayed their Nepal visas had been repatriated to China. He said that the Nepali Consulate General in Lhasa "always" issued CHENGDU 00000031 002.2 OF 003 visas to Chinese, and believed that the Chinese Embassy in Katmandu had similarly liberal visa policies concerning Nepalese. 2011 Tourism Goal: Welcome 100,000 Chinese Tourists -------------- -------------- ¶7. (SBU) In regards to tourism, Nepal's Government had recently declared 2011 to be "Visit Nepal Year," Upadhaya explained, and had set a goal of attracting 100,000 Chinese tourists. The Nepali Consulate General in Lhasa organized a tourism promotion event in 2009 for Chinese travel agents, airlines, and government officials. (Note: The joint China-Nepal statement discusses efforts to enhance land routes and air services between the two countries, and specifically mentions the goal of establishing more border trading points between Nepal and the TAR. The statement also indicates that the Chinese side agreed to "actively encourage Chinese businesses to invest in and develop tourism infrastructure in Nepal." End Note.) China-Nepal Trade: Talks about Duty-Free Access -------------- -- ¶8. (SBU) Nepal supports free trade with China, and has asked for duty free access for certain Nepali goods, Upadhaya said. In 2008, the Chinese government rolled back a 50-percent reduction in tariffs on certain goods from neighboring countries that had existed for several years, he explained. While the Chinese government rejected requests by Nepal's government not to roll back these tariff reductions, he noted, Beijing did grant tariff free trade for goods whose total value was under 8000 RMB (1173 USD) -- a move likely aimed to help small traders at border crossings. Talks are continuing about another Nepali request for lower tariffs; Upadhaya was hopeful that the Chinese government would grant these requests. (Note: The December 30 joint statement indicated that China would "gradually provide to Nepal zero-tariff treatment to 95 percent of the products (sic), in accordance with its commitment made at the United Nations High-Level Event on the Millennium Development Goals." End Note.) China-Nepal Trade: Beijing Enjoys a Surplus -------------- ¶9. (SBU) Nepali handicraft exports to China have been increasing, Upadhaya said, but Nepal has been running a growing trade deficit with China because its relatively simple export base cannot compensate for increased imports. Bilateral trade during the first 10 months of 2009 was $304 million, according to the Chinese press. Besides handicrafts, Upadhaya said, Nepal's exports to China include textile garments, wheat and wheat flour, and rice and beaten rice - although rice exports dropped to zero recently because supplies could not keep up with domestic Nepali demand. China's exports to Nepal include raw wool from Tibet and other parts of China, fresh apples, textile garments, construction materials, and machine parts. At one point, local Chinese customs officials instituted restrictions on certain Nepali handicrafts, including metal statues - perhaps as a way to squeeze bribes out of importers in exchange for waivers of the "duties." After the Nepali CG complained to TAR authorities about these arbitrary tariffs, Lhasa ordered Chinese customs officials to return to the status quo ante. Nepali Community in TAR is Small? -------------- ¶10. (SBU) The Nepali community in the TAR was actually quite small, Upadhaya said, estimating it to be 300 persons in the winter time (200 of whom were in Lhasa),with perhaps 100 more CHENGDU 00000031 003.2 OF 003 in the summer months. Nepalese do not own many big enterprises, but examples of companies in the Lhasa area include a dairy, carpet company, handicrafts store, beauty parlor, and restaurants. Nepalese tend to be either businesspersons, or working as employees in those businesses; several have ethnic Tibetan or Han spouses. (Comment: Because Nepalese do not tend to register with their local consulate, per Upadhaya, he may have significantly underestimated the number of his fellow countrymen in the TAR. End Comment.) Nepal CG: Tibet Seemed Stable in 2009 -------------- ¶11. (SBU) Based on his travel outside of Lhasa to Ali and Shigatsu, as well as from what he has heard from the Nepali business community, Upadhaya felt Tibet was quite stable in 2009 (following a difficult 2008, when unrest in the TAR and other Tibetan areas in March led to a severe Chinese government crackdown.) BROWN