Special Correspondent, Kathmandu. Influential Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal of the powerful Balen government, formed with the high popularity of Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balendra Shah (Balen) and a strong equation in national politics, has been insulted during his visit to China.
After a photo of the bilateral talks between Minister Khanal, who is currently on a visit to China, and the Chinese side was made public, it has generated a huge wave in Nepal's diplomatic circles and social media. At the venue of the said meeting, termed high-level, the Chinese flag is placed with respect, but the national flag of Nepal has been mysteriously made to vanish.
Placing the national flags of both countries mandatory during any formal bilateral talks or high-level meetings between any two sovereign nations is an established international diplomatic protocol. This indicates equal status and mutual respect between the two countries. However, not placing Nepal's flag in the formal talks held on Chinese soil with Nepal's Foreign Minister sitting right in front is seriously viewed as China 'undermining' Nepal and the current powerful government, and committing a diplomatic insult.
Satire on Social Media Over the 'Double Standard' of Nationalism
Immediately after the photo of this incident was made public, strong protests against this move by China have been taking place on social media. Along with this, severe questions have started to be raised from the citizen level over the silence of Nepal's so-called 'nationalist' political parties and intellectuals.
Many have found it astonishing that those who hit the streets in protest and raise loud slogans of nationalism on social media even over minor technical misunderstandings with neighboring country India, have remained mysteriously silent even when China directly made the national flag vanish in the presence of the country's own Foreign Minister.
In this context, social media user Devesh Jha wrote a sharp satire on Facebook:
"If bilateral talks were held from Delhi without even placing Nepal's flag like this, people would have been decorated with adjectives like 'dhoti....khate.....dalal...' isn't it so...😀 where did Gyawali, Palpali, Dixit disappear.... the fierce nationalists...."
It has been analyzed that this sharp expression by Jha has completely exposed the existing 'double standard' (two-way yardstick) in the perspective of looking at neighboring countries within Nepali politics and civil society. While the issue of national self-respect should be equal with all countries and not targeted toward only one geography or neighbor, the silence of established nationalist faces even during this diplomatic error or deliberate behavior by China has raised suspicion over the very foundation of their nationalism.
Diplomatic Weakness or Intent?
Shishir Khanal, who handles the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Balen government, is viewed as an intellectual, studious, and influential leader of the country. However, continuing to participate in the same meeting and not expressing immediate protest or disagreement with the Chinese side even when the country's national flag was absent right in front of him and a blatant violation of diplomatic protocol took place, has been commented upon by some analysts as a major diplomatic weakness of Minister Khanal personally and the visiting team.
Whether the team led by Balen, which gives the slogan of a strong foundation of a "powerful government" and national self-respect, demands a formal clarification from the Government of China regarding this serious diplomatic insult, or maintains silence like the 'squeezed lemon' nationalism, will be made clear only by diplomatic steps in the coming days.
