A new think tank paper, China’s Influence in Nepali Media Amid Aggressive Nepal Policy, goes into great depth regarding the extent of China’s influence in Nepal’s media. The media serves as a fourth pillar of democratic institutions in developing democracies like Nepal and has the power to influence national policy decisions.
According to this research, this is precisely what transpired, with pro-China news sources in Nepal combining forces with China’s assertive foreign policy to cause issues for the nation’s daily democratic operations. Foreign policy is taken into consideration while analysing government policies and choices by independent media. Nonetheless, the Chinese embassy in Nepal as well as these pro-China media have made an effort to silence critical opinions vis-à-vis China.
The paper goes on to detail how, in spite of Nepal’s explicit restriction on foreign media investments, a well-organised network of pro-China media outlets has infiltrated the country. It is important to remember that China has attempted to use similar strategies in practically every democracy; in some cases, it has been effective, while in others, it has not. Many pro-China news stories, films, and radio podcasts may appear to the listeners of the host nations like helpful recommendations, but in reality, they are propaganda tools used by China. These efforts have grown more dangerous for the political elites in nations like Nepal and many African governments.
There is a video posted on February 27, 2022, on the Facebook page of the Nepali online portal, www.nepal.cri.cn, which is operated by China Radio International, headquartered in Beijing, the report states as an illustration of how Chinese propaganda operates. In the video, a Chinese reporter by the name of Lalima describes in Nepali how Nepal’s acceptance of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) grant may have opened the door for US military soldiers to stomp on Nepali territory. Sher Bahadur Deuba of the Nepal Congress was the prime minister at the time.
Although the grant was signed between the United States and Nepal back in 2017 when Nepal joined the Belt and Road Initiative, it took more than five years for the Nepalese Parliament to ratify it. It is important to remember that sovereignty is a delicate topic in every nation on the planet. It is, at best, ludicrous to paint the US as a coloniser and suggest that it would demand national autonomy. Chinese media has produced a lot of articles criticising the MCC since then, so it hasn’t been the sole instance of criticism.
As the research has indicated, while it would appear to Nepal to be a harmless proposition, it is not. A close examination of the semantics of these elements will reveal that China is patronising Nepal by offering “suggestions”. Nepal will be at serious risk if it does not adhere to them. Similar to this, Chinese journalists stationed in Nepal have written fiercely against the MCC, a grant, but they have never discussed the drawbacks of the BRI, a series of loans.
Regarding the entire MCC controversy, a representative for the US State Department stated, it is up to Nepal to decide whether or not to approve the MCC electricity transmission project. If corruption and outside pressure prevent Parliament from ratifying, it would be a great loss for the people of Nepal and a reason for great concern for the United States. It was quite evident that there were ongoing misinformation attempts against the initiative in the media.
As was already noted, Nepal has prohibited foreign investment in the media. To get around this, China has made significant investments in pro-China media channels in Nepal. These are owned by journalists and businesspeople who are sympathetic to China. Radio, Internet, and even TV channels are included. These publications do more than only publish pro-China material. It vigorously opposes any news report that disparages China. An example of this was an opinion post that appeared in The Kathmandu Post and included a photo of Mao Zedong wearing a mask with the caption “China’s Secrecy Has Made Coronavirus Crisis Worse”. In a video, the leader of China Media Group in Nepal criticised the piece, claiming it violates China’s sovereignty. It is evident that in practice, it is eroding Nepal’s sovereignty.
Prior to the coronavirus outbreak, China trained Nepali journalists in Chinese language classes, taking advantage of Nepal’s democracy and developing market. Three months of training were provided to 57 journalists by the Nepal-China Media Forum and the Confucius Institute of Nepal. The Nepal-China Media Forum has made an effort to develop a group of journalists who would comprehend China in a way that sets them apart from others. According to the paper, it puts needless pressure on reporters who criticise China. It uses the late journalist Balram Baniya as an example, who documented China’s incursion into seven regions of Nepal in his report.
The government of Nepal refuted the claim due to increasing pressure. However, a Congress politician and the district commissioner of the Humla district discovered and reported that China was encroaching on Nepal’s territory. As the official was sent to a far-off place, the Congressman was charged with being “pro-Indian” and “pro-Tibetan”. Later, a high-level Nepalese commission discovered that China had control over the water resources and had encroached on the boundary.
The heart of pro-China media groups is China’s strategy of using all available methods to establish a system in which critical ideas and any dissident opinions against it would be violently crushed. Additionally, it has attempted to overexpose the Nepali public to information about China. It should be highlighted that Nepal is not the first nation that has found itself in a situation similar to this, attempting to preserve a harmonious and balanced relationship with its neighbour while simultaneously having its voice muffled by the hubbub of activity generated by the neighbour.
Not just in Nepal, but also in other continents like Africa (which served as China’s test market in many respects), Europe, and even the US; China has carefully selected media outlets that serve its interests. China’s official news agency, Xinhua, has 37 offices spread across many African nations. China created satellite TV networks in African nations, and such networks include several programmes that exclusively discuss China’s development, expansion, and accomplishments. It’s not like the Chinese media just penetrates these governments in the Global South. There are 33 China Radio International (CRI) stations spread across 14 countries, including those in Australia, Europe and the US, according to a Reuters investigation.
The report that was released would undoubtedly make Nepal’s political elite think thoroughly on China’s engagement. It will re-energise civil society by emphasising the value of free and impartial media in a democracy. Additionally, it will be required to present precise instructions for international media, and in this critical juncture, it is imperative to distinguish clearly between news, information, and propaganda. Nepal’s vibrant democracy, which it paid a high price for, must be preserved.
The writer is an author and columnist and has written several books. His X handle is @ArunAnandLive. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18’s views.
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