By Usman Khan

On Friday 11, 2022, Chinese vice Minister for Culture and Tourism, who is also the head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, has arrived in Nepal on a five-day visit. Delegation plans to visit the heritage sites including those being reinstated with Chinese assistance. There is also news that Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had advised the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu to postpone the visit until after the November 20 elections as it may affect the performance of some parties in the upcoming elections.  However, the Chinese side maintained that the trip is purely “personal” and intends to visit only to cultural heritage sites.

The Prime Minister’s Office was also against receiving foreign dignitaries ahead of the elections as most leaders are busy electioneering and as the government is a caretaker one. It had advised the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to reschedule the visit, if possible. However, the Chinese side insisted on coming on schedule. Even the Prime Minister has stopped meeting foreign dignitaries after the start of the election campaign. The visitors should understand that pre-election is not the right time to visit given our leaders’ busy schedules.”

According to the Nepal’s, Department of Archaeology, the Chinese vice-minister is coming at the invitation of the government of Nepal and he will visit some cultural heritage sites that were damaged or destroyed in the 2015 earthquakes and are being restored with Chinese government’s help. With the election code of conduct in effect, the government cannot sign any agreement with foreign countries as such accords can potentially influence elections. Meetings with foreign diplomats have also been cut down significantly as such interactions could be interpreted as signs of foreign influence.

On Friday, the Chinese delegation will land at the Tribhuvan International Airport at 10:30 PM, but no welcome ceremony is planned. After this, the Chinese delegation left for Hotel Soaltee and there is no official engagement on Friday, as per the schedule. On Saturday, the Chinese delegation led by Vice Minister Li will visit Kathmandu Durbar Square and inspect the heritage site. The Chinese Academy of Cultural Heritage and Nepali sides jointly reconstructed the Basantapur Palace complex which earlier served as one of the oldest museums in Kathmandu.

In the afternoon, the Chinese delegation will visit the China Cultural Center at Maharajgunj which imparts training to Nepali citizens on Chinese culture, art, literature and language. After that, the delegation will visit the Chinese embassy, Kathmandu. On Sunday, the Chinese entourage will visit and inspect the Bhaktapur Durbar Square. Later in the same afternoon, it will inspect the Basantapur Palace Complex restoration Project at Kathmandu Durbar Square

The Chinese side has recently completed the restoration of the Basantapur palace complex and has promised to support the rehabilitation of other quake-damaged structures including those at Bhaktapur Durbar Square and the Nuwakot palace in Nuwakot district. Nepal will sign the memorandum of understanding on the restoration of these heritage and cultural sites after the elections. In the same evening, on Sunday, the Chinese officials will visit Swayambhunath, and on Monday, they will visit the Patan Durbar Square and the national museum at Pashupatinath. On Tuesday morning, the Chinese delegation will leave for Hong Kong.

With the election code of conduct in effect, the government cannot sign any agreement with foreign countries as such accords can possibly influence elections. Meetings with foreign diplomats have also been cut down significantly as such communications could be construed as signs of foreign influence. Although, the visit is being described purely personal and informal where the Chinese delegation will visit some cultural heritage sites in Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur. However, it is yet to see the impact of the imminent visit of Chinese vice Minister for Culture and Tourism