A university in Nepal has triggered a diplomatic backlash after burning large quantities of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China on March 15 books that had reportedly sat unused in storage.
The institution described the move as routine disposal due to lack of space and relevance. But the response from the Chinese Embassy was immediate and forceful, condemning the act as “disrespectful” and demanding accountability.The incident reveals more than a simple dispute it exposes the uneasy reality behind Beijing’s global propaganda efforts.
Authored by Xi Jinping, the book is mass-distributed worldwide through state channels, often in volumes far exceeding actual demand. Universities and institutions across multiple countries have received these materials for free, whether they request them or not.
What happened in Nepal is what often happens quietly elsewhere: unwanted propaganda accumulates, unused and unread.China’s reaction highlights a deeper contradiction. While the Chinese state tightly controls information within its own borders censoring books, silencing dissent, and restricting free expression it demands respect and reverence for its own political messaging abroad.
This double standard is increasingly difficult to ignore.The outrage over discarded books stands in stark contrast to Beijing’s own record, where countless works, voices, and cultural expressions have been suppressed when they do not align with state ideology. Yet when its own narratives are rejected, even passively, the response is swift and diplomatic pressure follows.
For Nepal, the incident underscores the delicate balance of navigating relations with a powerful neighbour. But it also reflects a broader global shift: growing skepticism toward externally imposed political narratives packaged as cultural exchange.
In the end, the episode is telling. Influence cannot be forced, and respect cannot be manufactured through mass distribution.If a book must be defended through protest rather than read by choice, its message has already failed.
