News, Views From Nepal

 Yuba Nath Lamsal With Indo-Pacific region turning into a major theatre of global power rivalry, Nepal has emerged as a key geopolitical pivot. The flurry of visits by officials from the United States and China over the last few months stipulates Nepal’s centrality in this geopolitical contest. Located between India and China, Nepal’s geopolitical position had always been pivotal in South Asia. It has further ramped up with Asia becoming a key location of geopolitical contention.   Henry Luce, a founder of Time Magazine, first used the phrase ‘The American Century’ in 1941 advocating US role and involvement in the global affairs.  The US heavily prevailed in the international power system throughout 20th century. The dawn of the 21st century marked the shift of international power to Asia bringing China and USA face to face. The American Century now appears to be waning and Asian Century is in the making.  China’s rise China’s phenomenal rise economically, technologicall

  Yuba Nath Lamsal Tim Marshal in ‘Prisoners of Geography’ says: “Geography has always been a prison of sorts — one that defines what a nation is or can be, and one from which our world leaders have often struggled to break free”. Countries cannot change geography but can only change and adjust their policies. Geography is a permanent feature with which states are required to adjust their foreign policy in commensurate with their national interest.  What would have been our foreign policy priority if Himalayas had been in our southern border or if Nepal had been located in the Indian Ocean or Pacific Ocean rim? In such a case, our priorities and policies would have been definitely different. Thus, countries are what Tim Marshal says ‘prisoners of geography’.  Boon and curse Geography alone may not always be the lone determinant shaping foreign policy. But it is definitely a principal element with which countries are often required to adjust their policy priorities. Geogra