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Top leaders of major political parties have reaffirmed their commitment to advancing projects under China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). They underscored the critical importance of Nepal’s relationship with its northern neighbor, China, for the nation’s economic development and long-term prosperity.

Nepali Congress leader Minendra Rijal, speaking at a high-profile event in the capital, highlighted his party’s preference for grants under the BRI framework. However, he clarified that this does not mean Nepal should rely solely on grants. “We have shared a long-standing relationship with China, built on mutual trust, and we aim to nurture this bond in the years to come,” Rijal stated. He emphasized the need for careful consideration of foreign debt when securing loans from any country.

Rijal also stressed Nepal’s sovereignty, asserting that the country is free to make independent decisions regarding its partnerships. “Our relationship with China is pivotal, and we seek to benefit from China’s remarkable development trajectory,” he said. The NC leader advocated for project-specific negotiations, adding, “Conditions need not be uniform for all projects. Rijal also expressed support for connectivity projects with China.

Senior Vice-chairperson of CPN-UML, Surendra Pandey, echoed the commitment to the BRI, citing Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s signing of the BRI agreement with China as a clear endorsement. “Our party fully supports the BRI and its potential to drive Nepal’s development,” Pandey said. “All parties are united on BRI, which was evident during the signing of the BRI framework.”

He, however, pointed out several critical issues that need resolution before projects can move forward.

“Key concerns include the interest rates on loans, the repayment period, the selection of construction companies—whether Nepali or Chinese—and the sourcing of raw materials,” Pandey explained. He criticized the Nepali Congress’s stance on accepting only grants as impractical, urging a more pragmatic approach. “Let’s begin with one project. Its success will provide valuable lessons for future endeavors,” he suggested.

CPN (Maoist Center) senior leader Dev Gurung called for immediate action, emphasizing that delays in BRI implementation are largely attributable to the Nepali side. “There should be no further delays. The BRI holds immense potential to transform Nepal from a landlocked nation into a land-linked hub, bolstering our sovereignty and economic prospects,” Gurung asserted.

The BRI, with its focus on infrastructure and connectivity, is seen as a game-changer for Nepal. Leaders across the political spectrum agree that the initiative could unlock new opportunities, fostering economic growth and strengthening Nepal’s geopolitical standing.

The story of unaddressed silent screams repeats once again. This time, it was of a young teenager, far from home, chasing her dreams pushed to the brink by relentless psychological, sexual, and alleged physical harassment. While the investigation continues, one thing is clear: Prakriti Lamsal was a victim of severe abuse and her tragic fate exposes the systemic failures—both socially and institutionally—that allow such injustices to persist.. 

In the aftermath, we witnessed students protesting, a university scrambling to react, cross-border tensions rising, and social media engulfed by #JusticeforPrakriti. Diplomatic interventions and heated debates about educational politicization, national accountability, and institutional reforms followed. The tragic incident at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) has sent shockwaves both nationally and internationally, exposing a multitude of issues.

Yet, amidst that trending noise, the core issue remains unanswered. Why do every now and then we keep on hearing these horrendous news of abuse, violence, and harassment against women? Are we truly failing to address them? 

The data paints a grim picture. The critical factors like the unequal position of women in relationships and society, cultural stigmatization on these sensitive topics, and the normative acceptance of abuse, violence as a conflict resolution method. Importantly, the deep flaws within the ‘victim support’ or ‘victim report’ processes heightens the problem even more. 

Let’s be honest: what actually happens to the woman who speaks out against harassment? How do our society and institutions, the very entities meant to protect us, truly respond when a woman complains? And most importantly, how effective is our system in addressing the issue and supporting the survivors? 

In Lamsal’s case, her repeated complaints were ignored. The responsible institutional inaction emboldened the perpetrator further deterring the situation. Even in the wake of her death, the first instinct from her educational officials was to scrutinize her choices—not the failures of the institution, not the abuser’s actions, not the system that failed her. Even in the trending hashtags #JusticeForPrakriti, the public discourse quickly turned to character assassination.

It already takes a lot of courage to speak out in our society for a victim who has endured the trauma of molestation, abuse, or harassment. Common questions like “Why didn’t you speak up sooner?” or “Are you sure you didn’t provoke them?” further exacerbate their pain. These questions perpetuate victim-blaming, which can lead to victims being shamed and judged by their communities. This often results in social ostracism, where victims are isolated and excluded from social circles, further deepening their trauma. For any woman, regardless of education or background, this is a worst-case nightmare.

The inefficiency of legal enforcement significantly contributes to this issue. Be it in the phase of investigation or prosecution, it is a clear testament to the failure of proper implementation and enforcement of even existing laws. Within these tedious processes of getting justice, the continuous victim-blaming followed by social ostracism remains a powerful silencing tool.

Amid political maneuvering and fleeting social media trends, the real question remains: What does genuine justice for Lamsal look like? Will the accused, reportedly shielded by political connections, face real consequences? Will this tragedy spur lasting reforms, or will it fade into another forgotten case? Can we break the cycle of institutional silence and impunity?

The US has launched a "decisive and powerful" wave of air strikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen, President Donald Trump has said, citing the armed group's attacks on shipping in the Red Sea as the reason, BBC reported. 

"Funded by Iran, the Houthi thugs have fired missiles at US aircraft, and targeted our Troops and Allies," Trump wrote on his Truth social platform, adding that their "piracy, violence, and terrorism" had cost "billions of dollars" and put lives at risk.

The Houthi-run health ministry said at least 31 people were killed and 101 others were injured in the strikes.

The group - which began targeting shipping in response to the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza - said its forces would respond to US strikes.

The Houthis reported a series of explosions on Saturday evening in Sanaa and in the northern province of Saada - the rebels' stronghold on the border with Saudi Arabia.

The Iranian-backed rebel group, which considers Israel its enemy, controls Sanaa and the north-west of Yemen, but it is not the country's internationally-recognised government.

Unverified images show plumes of black smoke over the area of Sanaa's airport - which includes a military facility.

In a statement, the Houthis blamed the US and the UK for "wicked" aggression targeting residential areas in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa.

The UK did not participate in Saturday's US strikes against the Houthi targets but it did provide routine refuelling support for the US, according to BBC.

These attacks, Trump said, "will not be tolerated".

He added: "We will use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective."

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the US government had "no authority, or business, dictating Iranian foreign policy".

"End support for Israeli genocide and terrorism," he posted on X on Sunday. "Stop killing of Yemeni people."

The Houthis have said they are acting in support of the Palestinians in the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, and have claimed - often falsely - that they are targeting ships only linked to Israel, the US or the UK.

Since November 2023, the Houthis have targeted dozens of merchant vessels with missiles, drones and small boat attacks in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. They have sunk two vessels, seized a third, and killed four crew members.

The group has not been deterred by the deployment of Western warships to protect merchant vessels, or by multiple rounds of US and British air strikes on its military targets.

Israel has also carried out air strikes against the Houthis since July in retaliation for the 400 missiles and drones that the Israeli military said had been launched at the country from Yemen, most of which were shot down, BBC reported. 

Major shipping companies have been forced to stop using the Red Sea - through which almost 15% of global seaborne trade usually passes - and use a much longer route around southern Africa instead.

Trump said that it had been more than a year since a US-flagged ship had sailed safely through the Suez Canal - which the Red Sea leads to - and four months since a US warship had been through the body of water between east Africa and the Arabian peninsula.

The Suez Canal is the quickest sea route between Asia and Europe, and is particularly important in the transportation of oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Addressing the Houthis directly, Trump wrote that if they did not stop, "HELL WILL RAIN DOWN UPON YOU LIKE NOTHING YOU HAVE EVER SEEN BEFORE".

But the Houthis were unwavering in their response, saying the aggression would not wane their support for Palestinians.

"This aggression will not go without response and our Yemeni armed forces are ready to answer escalation with further escalation," the group said.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also discussed military deterrence operations against the Houthis when he spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Saturday.

Rubio emphasised that "continued Houthi attacks on US military and commercial shipping vessels in the Red Sea will not be tolerated", a State Department spokesperson said, according to BBC.

Lavrov, for his part, stressed the need for "an immediate cessation of the use of force" and the "importance for all sides to engage in political dialogue in order to find a solution that would prevent further bloodshed", said the Russian foreign ministry.

With the growth of its power, China’s overseas interests are rapidly expanding. Along with this, in addition to the extreme containment and suppression by Western countries, there are also various ‘stigmatizing’ hype such as ‘neo-colonialism’, ‘debt trap’, ‘China threat theory’ etc.. This highlights the sharp cognitive opposition between China and Western countries in expanding overseas interests.

Expansion methods

Win-win cooperation vs zero-sum game

The concept of win-win cooperation proposed by China emphasizes achieving complementary resources and shared advantages through close cooperation with host countries, thereby fostering mutual benefit and ultimately leading to common development and maximized interests. The ‘Belt and Road Initiative’, put forward by China in 2013 and based on the concept of win-win cooperation, has achieved numerous results, covering policy communication, facility construction, trade cooperation, investment growth, and project construction etc., injecting new momentum into global economic growth. China’s pursuit of a win-win development path in expanding its overseas interests is the right path for the world.

Driven by zero-sum game mentality, in international politics, Western countries focus on safeguarding their own interests, viewing China’s expansion of overseas interests as a threat to their own interests, and fearing that China’s strength could undermine their power and status in host countries. The zero-sum game mentality espoused by Western countries is detrimental to others and not beneficial to themselves, often leading to tension and conflict in international relations.

Expansion approach

Peaceful development vs ‘Thucydides Trap’

The term ‘Thucydides Trap’ is used metaphorically to describe the competitive situation among major powers in contemporary international relations. Specifically, when an emerging power rises and attempts to play a greater role on the international stage, it often clashes with existing powers in terms of resources, markets, influence, or geopolitical advantages. This situation of mutual confrontation and threat may ultimately lead to the outbreak of war. Based on the cognitive logic of Thucydides Trap, Western countries often pursue containment and suppression strategies towards the friendly cooperation between China and host countries in areas such as economy, military, and technology.

However, ‘Thucydides Trap’ is not an iron law, and war does not necessarily break out between major powers. China’s concept of peaceful development reflects the common pursuit of peace and development by countries around the world, offering the possibility to avoid the ‘Thucydides Trap’. Based on the concept of peaceful development, China has always been committed to becoming a builder of political peace, a contributor to economic development, and a maintainer of social order for host countries in the expansion of its overseas interests.

Expansion path

Co-consultation, co-construction, and sharing vs colonial plunder

The expansion of overseas interests by Western countries employs the bloody and brutal method of colonial plunder. Specifically, Western countries maintain their colonial rule through violent occupation of land and signing unequal treaties. By occupying, enslaving, and exploiting weak countries, they gain financial and trade privileges, as well as plunder natural, human, and strategic resources. They expand their sphere of influence and balance competitors through colonial expansion in order to ensure their own security and national interests. They regard themselves as disseminators of civilization, attempting to establish a kind of social structure and cultural identity in colonies that is similar to that of their homeland.

Guided by the principles of co-consultation, co-construction, and sharing, China promotes joint consultation with host countries in the expansion of overseas interests. This ensures that host countries have an equal voice and participation rights, enabling political disputes and economic conflicts to be resolved through consultations. Cooperative projects are jointly undertaken by both parties, with the results shared to foster mutual development and prosperity. Furthermore, it aims to involve citizens of host countries as participants, contributors, and beneficiaries of these projects, particularly ensuring that local residents also reap the benefits, thereby creating a conducive and friendly environment for the expansion of China’s overseas interests.

Expansion goal

Community with a shared future for mankind vs hegemony and power politics

Based on the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind, China is dedicated to promoting high-quality development in host countries during the expansion of its overseas interests, implementing global development initiatives, global security initiatives, and global civilization initiatives in these countries. China is proactively addressing various complex social issues, and encouraging more citizens of host countries to participate in Chinese projects and share dividends, thereby contributing Chinese wisdom and solutions to the economic and social development of host countries and demonstrating its responsibility as a major power. The concept proposed by China has garnered support and endorsement from the majority of countries worldwide, particularly those from the ‘Global South’.

The hegemonic behavior of Western countries manifests as gross interference in the internal affairs of other countries, manipulation of international affairs, and expansion of spheres of influence through military means. The core idea of power politics is that ‘power is truth’, referring to the policies and activities of Western powers that bully the weak, arbitrarily dominate other countries’ people, interfere in other countries’ internal affairs for their own interests, and infringe on other countries’ interests. Based on the logic of hegemonism and power politics, Western countries have seriously damaged international peace and stability, the well-being of people all over the world, and the common interests of all mankind through various perverse acts in the world.

Conclusion

In response to the cognitive opposition between China and western countries in expanding overseas interests, China should uphold the concept of peaceful development and win-win cooperation, and strive to build a community with a shared future for mankind. At the same time, in countries where China’s overseas interests are expanding, China should take practical actions of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits to practice its own propositions and demonstrate international fairness and justice.

The author is  Dean of China’s Overseas Interest Studies Institute at Yangtze Normal University