Kathmandu - Chinese Ambassador to Nepal, Chen Song, seemed to defy diplomatic norms as he aimed to cast a shadow over Nepal's relationship with India while advocating for China as a more favorable partner for the Himalayan nation.

Ambassador Chen delivered these comments during an event hosted at a hotel in Kathmandu's New Baneswor, attended by Devraj Ghimire, Speaker of Nepal's House of Representatives.

In his address, Chen discussed what he referred to as "India's influence in Nepal." Despite recognizing the vastness of the Indian market, Chen cautioned Nepal to proceed cautiously.

"Regrettably, you have a neighbor like India because India represents a vast market with significant potential for you to tap into. However, India's policies towards Nepal and other neighboring countries are, in our view, not particularly friendly or advantageous to Nepal," he commented.

Throughout history, Nepal has traditionally maintained closer ties with India than with China, fostering strong political, cultural, and social connections.

Ambassador Chen seemed to suggest that Nepal's trade relationship with India might not be as advantageous as it appears.

"Last fiscal year, Nepal exported 10 billion rupees worth of electricity to India. But how much did you import from India? My Nepalese friends, you imported 19 billion Nepalese rupees worth of electricity from India. This resulted in a deficit in electricity trade, despite it being one of the products you take pride in. You believed it would bring you economic independence," he added.

During his speech, Ambassador Chen advised Nepal to focus on its agricultural sector.

In recent decades, China and India have competed for influence in Nepal. While Nepal has traditionally been seen as closely aligned with India, it is now perceived as taking substantial steps to strengthen its cooperation with China. Smaller South Asian nations often find themselves navigating the competition between India and China in the region.

In his address, Ambassador Chen advocated for increased competition between China and Nepal and expressed his commitment to enhancing ties between the two nations.

"I plan to conduct more field visits to gain a better understanding of Nepal's reality and identify additional opportunities for cooperation between China and Nepal. Most importantly, I believe that the people of Nepal deserve to enjoy a more prosperous, modern, and enriched life," he concluded.