Research On The Impact Of Belt And Road Initiative Towards China-Nepal Relations

China’s diplomacy of Belt and Road Initiative(BRI)has created an international discourse in power politics thereby maintaining the new world order.With the hope of creating a family of harmonious coexistence China calls the international community to take part in the objective,which takes its inspiration from the ancient Silk Road route.It is a powerful instrument opted by China in fostering win-win situations while building trust among nations to help promote peace and stability in the global governance.BRI,a national strategic vision of China has directed the foreign policy domain as well as increased emphasis in peripheral diplomacy.However,there are concerns pledged by the neighbouring countries over the strategy and intent of China.Such concerns put forward by India,a regional power in South Asia,with an objection over China-Pakistan Economic Corridor,claiming to have passed through disputed territory,deeming it as a sovereignty issue.Except India,all the South Asian countries have earnestly joined the initiative.Amid such concerns,Nepal,the western neighbour to China which is rather Indialocked signed an MOU on Belt and Road Initiative on 12 th May 2017.It is noteworthy that Nepal’s journey to BRI framework took a considerable time.It took nearly three years to arrive at this stage,considering the commitment taken in 2014.Given China’s role as a rising super power in the world and its influences in the neighbouring countries—big and small alike— bringing Nepal into this framework of connectivity can be an interesting topic for study.Moreover,the small countries’ strategy to join such framework in the regional power politics scenario also needs to be analysed to better understand how such nations react to the initiative.The study is significant as it helps readers to know the China’s flagship strategy Belt and Road initiative and its impacts Chinas foreign policy including peripheral diplomacy.It also help to understand China Nepal relations on changing environment.However B&R initiative contribute very slow results towards Nepal due to uncertain political changes in Nepal.With an objective to understand such dynamics posed by the BRI framework,I have formulated following research questions.The main research has been done to answer the following questions: Primary : To what extent has China’s soft power impacts the neighboring country like Nepal to join the Beltand Road Initiative? and Secondary : How do small states like Nepal cope with such strategies put forward by a rising-power in the regional context?In order to fulfill the targets,the research following a qualitative design with profound presentation and analysis based on secondary sources(e.g.reference books,research paper,report and journal’s article,etc.)from publishers,organizations,research institutes,media outlets and individual researched.This research has been conducted with five chapters.Chapter Ⅰ: This chapter has reviewed Belt and Road Initiative of China and its implications in the neighboring country.It has analyzed what BRI means to neighboring countries.This chapter deals with the research methods adopted in the study,basically focusing on the Case Study approach as well.Extensive literature review has been done.The literature gap and theoretical frame has been discussed.Chapter Ⅱ deals with the theoretical framework which has discussed on the secondary states alignment based on the Balance of Power theory and the soft power influences to achieve the goals of the powerful states.Chapter Ⅲ has presented the historical significance of Sino-Nepal relationship and the foreign policy of China.This Chapter is further more focused on why China perused the Belt and Road Initiative and Collaborative effort to achieve new phase of development with its neighbors.Chapter Ⅳ analyzed the influence of China’s soft power in Nepal,and hence discussed on Nepal choosing to enter the Belt and Road initiative.This Chapter focused the impact and challenges on implementation of joint agreement under the framework of Belt and Road initiative.Chapter Ⅴ provides conclusion to the study.It summarized the thesis indicates that China and Nepal are close neighbors not only sharing with border also sharing civilization,people’s aspiration and common destiny.China as growing economic power,China can bring more support to the Nepal’s development like infrastructure,Cultural heritage and overall economic facilitation.Nepal always stands with solidarity with China’s core national interest and closely linked people to people contacts as well.Finally this research can be useful to know about Belt and Road initiative and its impacts of China Nepal relations.It can be more useful to know more about China’s foreign policy departure and relation with in neighbors.