Illegal territorial expansion continues: China encroaches Nepal territory, erects buildings in Lapcha-Limi region

In recent times, the world has witnessed an escalation in China's territorial aggression on all sides of its border. China's expansionist designs continue to haunt all-weather ally Nepal too, as it has encroached on yet another part of the country. China has constructed nine buildings in a Nepal territory without the country's consent or permission.

China has secretly built the structures in the Humla district in Nepal, and has also stopped the Nepali population from entering in this area.

This issue came into light when the president of the local village council, Vishnu Bahadur Lama, went on a visit to this territory. He revealed that China soldiers had completed the building construction in the Limi village of Lapcha village. He was even prevented from going to the side of the village where the construction had taken place.

Lama claims that he even tried to speak to the Chinese forces in vain and they did not respond and he was even told to go back. After denied entry into the region, he took a few pictures of the newly-constructed building by Chinese PLA in the territory on his mobile phone — which show the buildings were erected nearly 2 kilometres into Nepali territory.

A recent investigation by Assistant Chief District Officer (CDO) Dalbahadur Hamal of Humla from August 30 to September 9 confirmed China's encroachment into the territory of Nepal. CDO Hamal visited the site after locals reported the information of the unauthorised buildings being constructed by China.

Khabarhub quoted a member of the monitoring team maintaining anonymity as saying, "We could see the buildings from a distance. We had heard rumours about a building being constructed by China there but found eight more in our visit."

The matter has been reported to the Nepal Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. When Humla District chief Chiranjeev Giri was contacted for a status check, he said that he too did not have any knowledge of the construction.

This is not the first time that China has occupied Nepali territory without their knowledge. Two months ago it was reported that China had merged Nepal's Gorkha district's Rui village with its territories.

In June, another report, prepared by Survey Department of Agriculture Ministry of Nepal, showed a list of 11 places, of which China had encroached on ten places comprising about 33 hectares of Nepali land. They did this by diverting the flow of rivers which act as a natural boundary.

The Chinese government is widely expanding its road network in so-called Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) "because of which some rivers and its tributaries have changed their course and are flowing towards Nepal. The flow of rivers is gradually receding the Nepalese territories and if it continues to remain so for some more time, it would cede the maximum portion of Nepal's land towards TAR," the document obtained by ANI stated.

Chinese road construction in Tibet diverted the flow of Sumjung, Kam Khola and Arun rivers of Sankhuwasabha district resulting in the encroachment on nine hectares of Nepali land. 

The document had warned that Nepal would lose more lands if proper steps are not taken in time.

In August too, the surveying and mapping department of Nepal said China had pushed the international boundary 1,500 metres towards Nepal in Dolakha. It had pushed the boundary pillar Number 57 in the Korlang area in Dolakha, which was previously located at top of Korlang.

The pillar has been an issue of confrontation between the two countries and China pressurised the Nepali government not to sign the fourth protocol on resolving and managing border disputes between the two countries as China wanted to maintain the status quo and further transgress the boundary arrangements.

The surveying and mapping department also reported that China had occupied Nepali villages in Gorkha and Darchula districts. Similar to Dolakha, China has relocated Boundary Pillar Numbers 35, 37 and 38 in Gorkha district and Boundary Pillar Number 62 in Nampa Bhanjyang in Solukhumbu.

China's aggressive expansionist policies have recently led to a violent stand-off with India near Ladakh. Beijing also has had stand-offs with Vietnam and Malaysia in the South China Sea, pressurised Taiwan with night time drills in Taiwan Strait and threatened Australia with the boycott of wine, beef, barley, and Chinese students.

Beijing has also brought in a new law - Hong Kong Security law - to increase its control on the semi-autonomous city despite strong protests.