High in the remote stretches of the Tibetan Plateau, China has made its presence felt in bold fashion, carving a colossal 600-foot-long message into the landscape. Inscribed in characters large enough to be read from space, the message reads, “Long live the Chinese Communist Party.” It is not just a symbol, but part of an extensive network of security fortifications along China’s border with Nepal, raising questions about Beijing’s growing influence over its southern neighbor.
China’s fencing along the Nepalese border, marked by barbed wire, concrete walls, and watchtowers manned by armed sentries, forms what some call the “new Great Wall of China.” The strategic placement of security cameras further reinforces this boundary. But this wall is not just about defense; it represents China’s growing reach, extending its influence into Nepal’s sovereign territory, a concern echoed by local leaders and border residents alike.
In Nepal’s Humla District, residents have reported Chinese encroachment on their land, compounded by pressure from Chinese forces to suppress any public display of images of the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader revered by many in Nepal’s ethnic Tibetan communities. The once-frequent escape route for Tibetans fleeing Chinese oppression has dwindled, with Nepal’s leadership seemingly turning a blind eye.
Despite these mounting tensions, Nepal’s government, deeply tied to China both economically and ideologically, has remained silent on the issue. A 2021 report by Nepal’s own fact-finding mission documented China’s border violations in Humla, but the findings have been kept under wraps, stalling any potential diplomatic action.
Former provincial chief minister Jeevan Bahadur Shahi has been one of the few outspoken voices, calling the fortifications part of China’s grand geopolitical strategy. “This is the new Great Wall of China,” he said, adding that China seems intent on keeping Nepal, and the rest of the world, from seeing the true extent of its border ambitions.
Beijing’s border-building spree, which accelerated during the Covid-19 pandemic, is part of a larger effort to solidify control over contested territories along its vast frontier, stretching from the Himalayas to the South China Sea. While Nepal’s foreign minister Arzu Rana Deuba has downplayed concerns about the northern border, focusing more on the southern boundary with India, some argue that the government’s reluctance to confront China’s encroachments may be a sign of the deepening influence China holds over its smaller, weaker neighbor.
The question many are beginning to ask is: Has Nepal already become a de facto autonomous region of China? The continued silence from Nepal’s government, paired with the unresolved border disputes and China’s increasing military and surveillance presence, points to a troubling future for Nepalese sovereignty.
For now, as China’s influence grows unchecked, Nepal faces a difficult choice: stand up to a superpower or risk losing more than just its borderlands.
