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China has established the International Organization for Mediation (IOMed), marking it the world’s first intergovernmental legal body dedicated to resolving international disputes through mediation. The signing ceremony, held last week in Hong Kong, saw the participation of Nepal’s Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba, alongside around 400 high-level representatives from 85 countries spanning Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe.

Designed to function similarly to the International Court of Justice and the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, IOMed is positioned as a potential alternative to the World Trade Organization (WTO). China has actively encouraged Nepal to join the organization at the earliest. During a sideline meeting at the event, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi expressed his hope that Nepal would soon become a member, emphasizing the opportunity to jointly contribute to enhancing global governance.

While Minister Deuba did not offer any commitment to being a member-state, Nepal’s participation in the event is meaningful. Observers say it signals that Nepal could join the Chinese initiative in future. 

According to Xinhua, China’s state-run news agency, Wang Yi noted that more than 80 countries and nearly 20 international organizations sent representatives to the ceremony. He highlighted that this strong turnout demonstrates broad international support for mediation as a dispute-resolution mechanism, one that aligns with the interests of developing countries and adheres to the principles of the UN Charter.

The organization operates across three key areas. First, it provides mediation services for disputes between states, submitted by mutual consent. Official documents explain that such disputes must not be excluded by a concerned state through a formal declaration, nor may they involve a third state without its prior approval.

Second, IOMed facilitates mediation for commercial or investment disputes between a state (or an international organization) and private entities from another state, again requiring mutual consent. Third, it offers mediation for disputes arising from international commercial relationships between private parties.

China began laying the groundwork for IOMed in 2022, collaborating with like-minded nations to issue a joint statement. From South Asia, Sri Lanka and Pakistan are among the founding members, alongside Algeria, Belarus, Cambodia, Cameroon, China, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Indonesia, Laos, Madagascar, Serbia, Sudan, Thailand and Zimbabwe.

The organization promotes mediation as a flexible, cost-effective and efficient means of resolving disputes, emphasizing a party-driven approach. Chu Kar-kin, a member of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, in an interview with The Global Times, described IOMed as a “new chapter in global dispute resolution,” underscoring its role in fostering peaceful and harmonious settlements.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang reiterated China’s longstanding commitment to resolving differences through mutual understanding, dialogue and win-win cooperation.

Tian Feilong, a law professor at Minzu University of China, told Global Times that IOMed reflects China’s traditional legal culture, which prioritizes consensus and reconciliation over adversarial litigation. This approach, he argued, strengthens international cooperation and social capital, distinguishing it from Western legal mechanisms rooted in confrontation.

He further noted that IOMed embodies the spirit of internationalism and the vision of a "community with a shared future for mankind," reinforcing rule-of-law principles in global governance. By championing mediation, China seeks to offer a more collaborative and inclusive model for resolving international disputes, aligning with its broader diplomatic philosophy.

The US, under the Donald Trump administration, is steadily adopting a more aggressive stance toward China—an approach that is likely to reshape the foreign policy landscape for small South Asian countries like Nepal. Washington’s hardening posture is evident across multiple fronts: trade, technology, education and military strategy in the Indo-Pacific.

A major flashpoint has been trade. The Trump administration imposed a steep 145 percent tariff on Chinese goods—though currently paused—with expectations that the tariff war will escalate further. Simultaneously, the US State Department announced plans to revoke visas for Chinese students, especially those linked to the Chinese Communist Party or studying sensitive technologies, drawing sharp condemnation from Beijing.

The technological rivalry is already underway, but the conflict appears to be broadening. In a striking statement this week at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declared that the United States is prepared to take a confrontational approach toward Beijing, a move that has unsettled many Asian capitals.

“As our allies share the burden, we can increase our focus on the Indo-Pacific: our priority theater,” Hegseth said. Emphasizing that the futures of the US and its Indo-Pacific allies are “bound together,” he noted that America's own security and prosperity are linked to those of its allies. “We share your vision of peace and stability, of prosperity and security, and we are here to stay,” he added.

Hegseth outlined a vision for the Indo-Pacific based on mutual interests, sovereignty and commerce—not conflict. “On this sure foundation of mutual interests and common sense, we will build and strengthen our defense partnerships to preserve peace and increase prosperity,” he stated.

Yet, he made it clear that the US will resist any attempt by China to assert dominance. “We do not seek conflict with Communist China, but we will not be pushed out of this critical region, and we will not let our allies and partners be subordinated or intimidated.” These remarks come at a time when US allies in South Asia are already facing economic strain due to the US-led trade war. The pressure is particularly acute for countries like Nepal, which have a limited maneuvering room in great-power rivalries.

Hegseth also raised alarm over China’s preparations to use force for the “unification” of Taiwan—a move he warned could trigger a global crisis. “There’s no reason to sugarcoat it: the threat China poses is real, and it could be imminent,” he said, stressing that while China’s exact intentions remain uncertain, the US and its allies must prepare with “urgency and vigilance.”

The Chinese Foreign Ministry (FM) stated on Sunday that Hegseth ignored the calls of regional countries for peace and development, promoted a Cold War mentality of bloc confrontation, smeared and attacked China, and exaggerated the "China threat theory"—remarks that were full of provocation. In fact, the US is the world's true hegemonic power and the biggest factor undermining peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region, China said.  In order to maintain its hegemony and advance the so-called "Indo-Pacific Strategy," the US has deployed offensive weapons in the South China Sea, stoked tensions, and created instability—turning the region into a "powder keg" and arousing deep concern among regional countries, said China’s FM. 

A military conflict over Taiwan would place enormous pressure on countries like Nepal to take sides—much like the diplomatic tightrope it walked during the Russia-Ukraine war. While Nepal officially supports the one-China policy, joint statements in recent years have gone further, explicitly stating that “Nepal opposes Taiwan independence.”

Foreign policy experts warn that such language could box Nepal into supporting a future Chinese military action, compromising its neutrality. Further reinforcing this strategic posture, US Air Force Secretary Troy Meink told graduating cadets this week that the Indo-Pacific will define the military challenges of their generation. “The Indo-Pacific will be your generation’s fight, and you will deliver the most lethal force this nation has ever seen—or we will not succeed,” Meink said. He warned that the strategic competition with China is wide-ranging and unpredictable, adding, “There will be no sanctuaries.”

While the Trump administration has significantly cut development aid to countries like Nepal, it has signaled an intention to deepen defense cooperation in the region. Given Nepal’s strategic location between China and India, observers believe the US is likely to step up military engagement with Kathmandu in the coming years, further complicating Nepal’s delicate geopolitical balancing act.

The first edition of Sagarmatha Sambaad, a global dialogue forum, concluded on Sunday issuing a 25-point declaration titled the ‘Sagarmatha Call for Action’. Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba announced the declaration and officially closed the three-day event held in Kathmandu under the theme “Climate Change, Mountains, and the Future of Humanity.”

Speaking at the closing ceremony, Minister Deuba emphasized that the Sagarmatha Sambaad successfully amplified the voices of mountain and island communities suffering the brunt of the climate crisis. She called for collective global efforts to translate the forum’s outcomes into concrete action and underscored Nepal’s commitment to raising the dialogue’s key messages in various international platforms.

Minister Deuba described the Sambaad as a historic initiative that reinforced shared global commitments to mitigate the impacts of climate change. She also confirmed that the second edition of the Sagarmatha Sambaad will be held in 2027.

The Sagarmatha Sambaad is an initiative of the Government of Nepal aimed at fostering dialogue on pressing global issues. This year’s theme centered on mountains, climate, and future sustainability bringing together high-level delegations from 12 countries and over 175 international participants. The next edition will be organized on a different theme.

‘Sagarmatha Call for Action’ emphasized the urgent need to safeguard glaciers and mountain ecosystems in the face of accelerating climate change. Released as the outcome document of the Sambaad, the declaration recognized climate change as an “unprecedented challenge” that threatens both present and future generations, calling for immediate and coordinated global action. It reaffirms international commitments to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Paris Agreement, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The declaration drew on recent United Nations resolutions that declare 2025 as the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation and designate March 21 as World Day for Glaciers. It also notes the UN’s declaration of 2023–2027 as the Five Years of Action for the Development of Mountain Regions, reinforcing the global commitment to sustainable mountain development. It highlighted the critical role mountain glaciers play in regulating hydrological cycles and providing vital services to both upland and downstream communities. “The receding cryosphere is putting immense pressure on snow-fed river systems that sustain species, ecosystems and the livelihoods of billions,” the declaration warns.

It further underlined the disproportionate impact of climate change on mountain communities, despite their minimal contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions. Melting glaciers, the dialogue noted, are not only contributing to sea-level rise but also triggering cascading disasters like landslides, floods, droughts and extreme weather events.

Calling mountains the “guardians of civilizational heritages, biodiversity and freshwater resources,” the ‘Sagarmatha Call for Action’ calls for the recognition of their role in ensuring climate-resilient agriculture, clean energy, nature-based tourism and sustainable livelihoods.

Besides the opening, plenary and closing sessions as well as side events, the dialogue featured 13 parallel sessions focused on five thematic areas.

Speaking at a press meet following the conclusion of the Sambaad, Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai said the government, as the organizer, was successful in hosting the dialogue and that the event met its expectations.

When asked about the limited presence of high-level international leaders and the absence of any heads of state or government, Rai responded that this was Nepal’s first attempt at organizing such a forum, and participation from neighboring countries at high levels made it a success.

The highest-ranking guests at the event included Xiao Jie, Vice-chairperson of the Standing Committee of China’s 14th National People’s Congress (NPC); Bhupender Yadav, India’s Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; Mukhtar Babayev, COP29 President and Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan; Sharmeen Soneya Murshid, Advisor to the Ministry of Social Welfare and the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs of Bangladesh; Gem Tshering, Minister for Energy and Natural Resources of Bhutan; and Thoriq Ibrahim, Minister of Tourism and Environment of the Maldives. A video message of UN Secretary-General António Guterres was also shown at the event.

Quoting a metaphor, Foreign Secretary Rai said, “In the eyes of a flower, the world is a flower; in the eyes of thorns, the world is a thorn,” suggesting that perceptions vary and that the event should be seen in a positive light. He added that the Sambaad had helped strengthen Nepal’s soft power on the international stage.

Rai also noted that the ‘Sagarmatha Call for Action’ would be taken forward by the government and incorporated into various national policies, plans, and programs.

The 25-point declaration

• Reaffirm the urgency to hold the increase in the global average temperature to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels by accelerating mitigation actions, building adaptive capacity and resilience, addressing loss and damage, and strengthening partnerships to ensure a sustainable future for all.
• Encourage countries to set ambitious emissions reduction targets in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) 3.0 to keep 1.5°C alive, aligned with the latest science that calls for urgent and transformative global action.
• Further encourage countries to develop and implement National Adaptation Plans to respond to country—specific adaptation needs.
• Call for enhanced provision and mobilization of international financial support, particularly through grants and concessional financing for implementation of climate actions in developing countries, including countries in special situations.
• Encourage collective efforts to ensure equitable and simplified access for the developing countries, particularly those vulnerable to climate change, to the international climate finance from bilateral, multilateral and alternative sources, including the operating entities of the Financial Mechanisms and the Funds under the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement.
• Support the call for the establishment of a dedicated fund for the development of mountain countries to mobilize targeted financial resources for climate action and sustainable development in mountainous regions.
• Prioritize the recognition, respect, and rewarding of mountain ecosystem services through leveraging existing and innovative financing sources.
• Emphasize the role of private sector finance and carbon markets in scaling up sustainable climate actions.
• Strengthen global and regional partnerships to facilitate access to climate-friendly technologies and enhance capacity building.
• Reaffirm the need for collaboration among the policymakers, scientific institutions, private sector and other relevant stakeholders to drive innovation and mutual learning to formulate appropriate policies and programmes that address the inherent vulnerabilities to climate change.
• Acknowledge the importance of promoting green, resilient and inclusive development, ranging from small to large-scale infrastructures, in both rural and urban communities, as appropriate.
• Stress the significance of clean energy, energy efficiency and just energy transitions, recognizing the importance of powering the future through clean energy as well as green, circular and bio-economies.
• Promote science, technology and innovation-based solutions for addressing climate-induced disasters, and conserving glaciers, water resources, forests and agricultural systems.
• Encourage dialogues on mountains and climate change agenda with special focus on triple planetary crisis and short-lived climate forcers, given their profound impact on regional climate, monsoons, cryosphere and public health.
• Recognize the urgency of strengthening data systems, ensuring data sharing and interoperability, and developing climate attribution and early warning mechanisms tailored to the needs of developing countries.
• Underscore the need to establish a robust linkage between mountain and ocean-specific risk assessment, monitoring, and early warning systems using advanced science, technology, and innovation.
• Promote climate justice across all climate actions by ensuring fair, inclusive and evidence-based solutions to the developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change.
• Foster inclusive climate actions through active participation of children, youth, women, persons with disabilities, senior citizens, and maintain gender balance while upholding intra- and inter-generational equity.
• Call to initiate the creation of a multi-stakeholder international platform on mountain and climate change for dialogue, innovation and empowerment, with the aim of amplifying the voices of mountain communities in global climate processes.
• Recognize the role of local and indigenous communities in climate policies, programmes and actions, including adaptation and conservation initiatives.
• Emphasize the need to develop mechanisms for payment of environmental services, enabling them to adopt innovative climate financing.
• Emphasize the need for developing knowledge centers, sharing best practices, and enhancing the roles of local communities in climate policies, programs and actions.
• Resolve to forge a common voice for urgent climate action that resonates from the Sagarmatha to the seas, and from highlands to islands.
• Acknowledge the relevance of the theme of the first edition of the Sagarmatha Sambaad in highlighting the adverse impacts of climate change from mountains to lowlands; forging common understanding and actions to uplift communities in vulnerable situations; and reaffirming commitment to continue working for a just, resilient and sustainable future for all.
• Express appreciation to all the dignitaries and delegates for attending the Sagarmatha Sambaad, a permanent forum to foster global dialogue on key issues of national, regional and global significance and look forward to its continuity ahead.

Norwegian PM Jonas Gahr Stoere and Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg will meet U.S. President Trump at the White House on Thursday for talks on NATO, Ukraine, and bilateral trade relations.

The conversations take place in the midst of ongoing trade adjustments, including a recent tariff reduction by the United States from 15% to 10% on specified Norwegian imports for a 90-day period. According to Reuters, Stoere stressed the importance of collaboration between the United States and Norway, referring to America as a "key trade and security partner."

The presidents are expected to discuss ways to enhance economic connections while also addressing shared geopolitical challenges, notably in Europe's security picture.

Norway, although not being a member of the EU, has supported Western sanctions against Russia and increased defense spending in response to the Ukraine crisis, Reuters reported.