Nepal has entrusted China to print 100-rupee banknotes, and a detail on the note has enraged India.
Recently, Nepal began issuing new 100-rupee banknotes, but India is very unhappy about it. The issue involved is not a financial one, but rather a more sensitive territorial issue. Nepal has printed its national map as defined by its constitution on the banknote, covering an area of dispute between the two countries.
(Nepal's new 100-rupee banknote causes Indian dissatisfaction)
The banknote features a disputed territory between Indonesia and India, which already made India very unhappy. And this batch of banknotes was printed by China at the request of Nepal. Thus, the sourness in the Indian press becomes even harder to hide.
Nepal recently experienced a coup, and the former government leader was forced into exile, with the prime minister's residence even set on fire. After the change of regime, Nepal naturally adjusted its internal and foreign policies. However, it now appears that the new Nepalese government has made no compromises on the issue of territorial sovereignty, and has not relaxed its claims over the aforementioned areas at all. As a result, they daily remind citizens of their territorial demands through the most legal means. All of India's investments, operations, and efforts to win over Nepal over the past decades have completely failed at this moment.
First, let's introduce how China obtained the contract for printing Nepalese banknotes.
(The disputed area has not been developed yet)
This batch of 100-rupee notes was printed under a contract valid until 2025. Starting in 2015, China's Banknote Printing and Minting Corporation first won the order from Nepal through bidding. They were to print 21 million 100-rupee notes. Although people use banknotes every day, the anti-counterfeiting technology required for printing them is only mastered by a few countries.
According to insiders, Nepal had previously entrusted the UK to print its currency, with a cost of 2.69 rupees per 100-rupee note. China's bid was only 2.15 rupees. Although the difference was only 0.54 rupees, considering the huge number of notes, the accumulated cost difference reached tens of millions of rupees. Moreover, China's anti-counterfeiting technology confidentiality level is no worse than that of the UK. For a poor country like Nepal, spending less money to get better service is obviously welcome.
In 2017, Nepal again entrusted China to print 1000-rupee notes, which were produced by Nanchang Banknote Printing Co., Ltd. Since then, the Nanchang company has also printed 260 million small denomination notes of 5 rupees for Nepal. How much money Nepal saved is self-evident. Therefore, the Chinese banknote factory's rupee business continues. This repeated commissioning fully reflects how deep the trust of Nepal in China is.
So, from India's perspective, having a Chinese enterprise print the disputed territory between India and Indonesia on the Nepalese currency is a double humiliation.
Speaking of India, it almost has territorial disputes with almost all neighboring countries. Moreover, it adopts an arrogant and unreasonable attitude, as if whatever the Indians want, the other party must give it up. This approach does not only occur on land, but also at sea. Even the US government has complained that India's approach to maritime boundaries and exclusive economic zones is too aggressive. The area in dispute between India and Nepal includes Kailali, Lipulekh, and Limpiyadhura.
(On December 3, a cashier at a bakery in Kathmandu took out a new 100-rupee banknote from the cash register.)
Most people find it difficult to locate these complicated place names on a map, but they are important to Nepal. For example, Kalapani covers only 35 square kilometers and is hidden deep in the Himalayas. However, it is located at the junction of Nepal, India, and China, and near the Lipulekh Pass, which can be used to trade with China. Kalapani belongs to Nepal because of a river called Kali. The Kali River originates from Limpiyadhura. Therefore, these two places and the nearby Lipulekh should belong to Nepal. But these territories are currently under Indian control.
These lands are not particularly fertile or rich, but they are still part of Nepal. Due to Nepal's weak national strength, it cannot resist India's hegemonism, so these locations remain under the occupation of the Indian army. Nepal has no way to do anything else, and using officially issued banknotes to claim its territory is also a desperate move.
In fact, India has taken too much advantage from countries like Nepal. Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka have all suffered from it. Even China, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council and one of the five nuclear powers, has been occupied by India in the South Tibet region for decades. Now, Nepal has just printed a 100-rupee banknote, and India has jumped up as if burned, indicating that it indeed needs someone to give it a lesson.
(Nepal's military strength is weak and cannot compete with India)
Neighboring countries can unite and express their dissatisfaction with India in a more direct and effective way.
Although printed materials can stimulate Indian public opinion, they cannot really recover the territory. If various countries that have been invaded and occupied can come together and jointly demand negotiations with India, it will put greater pressure on India.
Plus the pressure from relatively strong countries such as China and Pakistan. Then, regardless of whether India is willing or not, it must treat territorial and sovereignty disputes with a more equal attitude.
After all, India has just lost the favor of the United States and is trying to find a new international space for survival. If we can make it realize its situation of being isolated and rejected, it would be beneficial for maintaining long-term peace in South Asia.
Original: toutiao.com/article/7580567686023807523/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.