China has reacted to the recent comment made by the US ambassador nominee for Nepal in which he criticised China for its disinformation campaign and termed his remarks "baseless".
Dean R Thompson, the US nominee for Ambassador attacked China for its disinformation campaign on the USD 500 million American grant in the run-up to its ratification by Nepal's Parliament in February.
In his opening statement before the Foreign Relations Committee of the Senate on Wednesday, Thompson said: "In February, Nepal's parliament ratified the USD 500 million Millennium Challenge Corporation compact in the face of a torrid PRC [People's Republic of China] disinformation campaign."
The Chinese embassy in Kathmandu in a statement on Friday said: "They have not only slandered China but also offended Nepal and its people. It is a true 'disinformation.' China firmly rejects it."
"These are legitimate actions of the Nepali government and people to defend their sovereignty and independence and safeguard national interests," Wang Xiaolong, spokesperson for the Embassy of China in Kathmandu said, according to Kathmandu Post.
He said further that "It is China's consistent belief that in pursuing international development cooperation, the principle of mutual respect and equality should be upheld, the sovereignty of the country concerned and the will of its people should be fully respected."
The Chinese media has been running a campaign against US' development aid to Nepal. The Chinese media said that the MCC (Millennium Challenge Corporation) Nepal compact, which was passed by the country's Parliament last month, undermines Kathmandu's sovereignty.
An editorial published in the state media outlet China Daily argued that the benefits of the USD 500 million agreement come with risks.
The Communist party-owned English language newspaper said the "war in Ukraine may have distracted public attention" from the issue but this matter will have "far-reaching consequences", not just for Nepal, but for Nepal's neighbours as well.
Last month, Nepal's House of Representatives ratified the MCC pact along with an "interpretative declaration" following weeks of a rift within the ruling alliance. The pact was a subject of protest as a rumour claimed it to be a military pact.
The ruling alliance later adopted the 12 points which clearly stated that the parties will not consider MCC a part of US military strategy. The declaration also said that they would even revert the decision on the basis of political consensus.
The Chinese newspaper further said on the surface, that the compact is about a USD 500 million grant from the US to build power and road infrastructure projects. "It is the biggest US financial pledge to Nepal to date. And it is money that Nepal can use," the China Daily said in an editorial.
"But it took more than four years for the Nepali parliament to ratify it, and many people in Nepal have been protesting it for good reason. They rightly believe the compact undermines their country's sovereignty," the article added.
Last month, the United States had welcomed Nepal ratifying the USD 500 million grant, provided by the US Government foreign aid agency, which was cleared after a prolonged political tussle.
The US Government's MCC signed the pact with the Government of Nepal in September 2017 aimed at maintaining road quality, increasing the availability and reliability of electricity, and facilitating cross-border electricity trade between Nepal and India - helping to spur investments, accelerate economic growth, and reduce poverty.
( With inputs from ANI )
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