Beijing: China has annexed over 150 hectares of Nepal’s territory, according to a report published by leading British daily ‘The Telegraph’. However, the report was rejected Tuesday by the Chinese Foreign Ministry as a ‘completely unfounded rumour’. Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin’s remarks came after ‘The Telegraph’ quoting Nepalese politicians reported about the annexation. The report claimed that the land has been annexed at five areas near the border. It has claimed that China got the 150 hectares by diverting the flow of a river to claim the previously submerged land.
Reacting to the news report, Wang said: “I want to point out that the report is a completely unfounded rumour.” Pressed further to provide evidence to back his denial, Wang said, “As this is a rumour, those who have compiled this report should come up with their evidence first.”
The Telegraph reporter pointed out that the paper ‘does have evidence’. “We have spoken with Nepalese politicians who have said this. We would like the Chinese side to comment,” the reporter countered.
Wang said the content should have been verified before being published. “My suggestion is, before making such a report, you should act responsibly to verify things and then report on this. I can say that this report is a completely unfounded rumour,’ Wang said.
‘The Telegraph’ reporter said, “We did reach out to the Chinese Embassy in Nepal for comment, but they didn’t respond. So that’s why we are here today. We are hoping that the MOFA (the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) would please respond.”
Wang replied saying that “I have an accurate and clear answer for you, that report is not based on fact. It is a pure rumour.”
‘The Telegraph’s’ report said that China allegedly began seizing Nepalese land in five frontier districts in May. It send members of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) across undefended areas of the border.
“In the north-western district of Humla, PLA troops crossed the border into the Limi Valley and Hilsa, moving stone pillars which had previously demarcated the boundary further into Nepalese territory before constructing alleged military bases. ‘The Daily Telegraph’ has seen images of the bases,” the report said.
“Further annexations occurred in the Rasuwa, Sindhupalchowk and Sankuwasabha districts after Chinese engineers in the Tibet Autonomous Region diverted the flow of rivers acting as a natural boundary and claimed the previously submerged Nepalese territory, it added.
“Why should China come over into Nepal, when China is already sixty times the size of our small country?” the report quoted Jeevan Bahadur Shahi, a lawmaker in the Nepali Congress Party, as saying.