China extends border incursions into Nepal, builds fence along Tibetan border

China has expanded its territorial ambitions by constructing a fence along the Nepal-Tibet border. The structure, reinforced with barbed wire and concrete barriers, blatantly disregards the internationally recognised boundary between the two countries, encroaching deep into Nepalese territory.

This act has sparked concerns about China’s growing disregard for sovereign borders.

Satellite imagery has revealed a massive inscription, stretching 600 feet across a hillside near the newly erected fence, reading "Long Live the Chinese Communist Party".

The size of the message is so vast that it is visible from space, a clear act of intimidation towards Nepal and its neighbouring countries. The New York Times recently reported on these satellite images, further amplifying global attention to the incursion.

HISTORIC BORDER DISPUTE IGNORED

The latest development echoes earlier reports of Chinese territorial aggression. In 2021, Nepalese lawmaker Jeevan Bahadur Shahi published a report exposing Chinese military encroachments in the Humla district, which shares a border with China.

The report claimed that Chinese forces had destroyed eight border pillars and built infrastructure deep inside Nepal’s territory. However, despite the severity of these findings, the Nepalese government, under pressure from Beijing, suppressed the report.

The details were later leaked to the BBC, which triggered public outrage but resulted in no concrete governmental action.

Meanwhile, China has continued its expansionist policies, with over 11 regions along the Nepal-China border reportedly affected by similar land grabs.

CHINA'S 'SALAMI-SLICING' STRATEGY

The latest border fencing aligns with China's long-standing "salami-slicing" tactics, a gradual strategy of making small, incremental territorial incursions that cumulatively lead to significant land grabs.

This method has been employed by China in other regions, most notably in the South China Sea and along the contentious India-China border. Recently, China has intensified its activities along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh, where a standoff with Indian forces has persisted for over four years.

Additionally, China has sparked further tension with India by renaming locations in Arunachal Pradesh, claiming them as Chinese territory. The claims have been vehemently rejected by India.

ETHNIC TENSIONS

Meanwhile, Chinese authorities have also increased pressure on ethnic Tibetan Nepalis residing near the border. Villagers have reportedly been coerced into avoiding public displays of the Dalai Lama’s image, with threats of reprisals.

This is part of a broader effort by China to suppress Tibetan culture and identity, extending its repressive policies into Nepalese territory.

Despite these clear violations of its sovereignty, the Nepalese government has remained conspicuously silent. Nepal’s political leadership, increasingly reliant on China for economic and ideological support, has largely ignored these encroachments, preferring to maintain cordial relations with Beijing.

GLOBAL IMPLICATIONS

China's ongoing border incursions in Nepal raise serious questions about the future of Nepal's sovereignty. Will Nepal's leaders find the resolve to push back against Chinese expansionism, or will they continue to yield under mounting pressure from Beijing?

The broader global community, too, must take note. If China's actions in Nepal go unchallenged, they could embolden similar acts of aggression in other regions, particularly in India and the South China Sea.