The World Turns Toward Beijing: China’s Diplomatic Rise in an Unstable Era and Nepal’s Opportunity
# Prem Sagar Poudel
World politics is passing through a moment of profound transition. The war in Ukraine has shaken Europe’s security architecture. Old tensions in the Middle East have resurfaced. The United States–China rivalry has placed new pressure on technology, trade and supply chains. Amid all these instabilities, one scene has been repeatedly witnessed: the journey of major world leaders to Beijing. From the American President to Russian, French, British and dozens of Global South leaders, their visits to China are not merely routine diplomatic movements. They are a powerful signal of a changing world order.
This attraction toward China is not emotional; it rests on solid economic and strategic foundations. In 2024, China’s gross domestic product reached 18.5 trillion US dollars. According to the World Trade Organization, in 2023 China accounted for 14.2 percent of total global exports, an unprecedented share for any single country. More than 140 countries and international organizations are participating in the Belt and Road Initiative, known as the BRI. According to a World Bank study, BRI transport projects are estimated to be capable of increasing trade among participating countries by up to 4.1 percent. Today, China is not merely the “factory of the world.” It has also become a vast consumer market of 1.4 billion people, a leading global exporter of technology and a major source of development finance for the Global South.
China’s diplomatic appeal is not limited to economics alone. Over the past decade, China has presented a clear alternative worldview through the BRI, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative. The central message of these initiatives is this: partnership, not domination; dialogue, not confrontation; and shared benefit, not zero-sum competition. The Global Development Initiative, proposed at the United Nations in 2021, has so far received support from more than 100 countries and international organizations. This shows that the developing world is taking seriously the model of cooperation proposed under China’s leadership.
The visits of world leaders to Beijing do not mean full agreement with China. Rather, they represent the acceptance of one reality: China cannot be ignored. For African countries, China is the largest bilateral source of infrastructure and investment. China–Africa trade reached 282 billion US dollars in 2023. For Southeast Asian countries, China is the largest trading partner. ASEAN–China trade exceeded 911 billion US dollars in 2023. For countries such as Russia, China has become a strategic partner, while Middle Eastern countries are seeking deeper engagement with China, from energy exports to technological cooperation. Chinese investment and trade in Latin America are also steadily increasing. In 2023, China–Latin America trade exceeded 480 billion US dollars.
These facts draw a clear picture: the world is no longer unipolar. The United States remains powerful in the military, financial and technological spheres. But the era in which the United States alone could manage the entire global order has come to an end. The Russia–Ukraine war demonstrated the strength of Western military alliances, but it also proved that most countries of the Global South do not automatically align with Western sanctions and policies. The voting behavior of emerging powers such as India, Brazil and South Africa in United Nations resolutions confirms this trend. This multipolar environment has become a historic opportunity for China. China has presented itself as a partner that does not impose conditions of interference in domestic politics, does not demand regime change and places development at the center of relations. This approach is attractive to many developing countries.
However, China’s rise cannot be viewed through one-sided praise alone. China itself is dealing with internal pressures such as declining population growth, a crisis in the real estate sector, youth unemployment, local government debt and environmental challenges. These challenges may affect China’s long-term economic capacity. Similarly, some countries raise questions about debt dependency on China and the financial transparency of large infrastructure projects. China must be able to address these criticisms. Despite these challenges, however, China’s positive contribution to the world economy, trade, infrastructure development and multilateral diplomacy cannot be denied.
For Nepal, a small landlocked country situated between two large neighbors, China’s diplomatic centrality is a matter of special importance. Nepal can expand cooperation with China on the basis of national interest.
First, infrastructure and connectivity. The feasibility study of the Kerung–Kathmandu railway has already been completed. North–south road networks such as the Koshi, Karnali and Gandaki corridors can connect Nepal with China’s vast market and supply chains. The Trans-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Connectivity Network has the potential to transform Nepal’s landlocked condition into a land-linked opportunity.
Second, trade and investment. China is Nepal’s second-largest trading partner and one of its largest sources of foreign investment. Nepal can channel Chinese investment into productive industries, agro-processing, hydropower and tourism infrastructure. There is immense potential to expand the export of Nepali agricultural products, medicinal herbs and handicrafts to China’s vast market.
Third, tourism promotion. In the context of Nepal observing 2025 as a tourism promotion year in China, the number of Chinese tourists can be increased significantly. In 2019, around 170,000 Chinese tourists visited Nepal. With appropriate policies and infrastructure development, this number can multiply many times over.
Fourth, energy cooperation. Chinese investment and technological support in Nepal’s hydropower sector can help Nepal become self-reliant in energy and capable of participating in regional energy trade.
Fifth, education and technology transfer. China can provide Nepali students with scholarships, technical training and research cooperation opportunities. Knowledge transfer in agriculture, health and information technology can contribute to the development of Nepal’s human capital.
But to utilize these opportunities, Nepal must have a clear national strategy, the capacity to select projects, a transparent agreement system and prudence in debt management. Nepal should advance cooperation with China on the basis of national priorities and capacity. Any project or agreement must be based on national consensus. The strength of small countries does not lie in military power, but in clarity, credibility, diplomatic balance and internal stability.
Today, the world is turning toward Beijing because China has changed and the world has changed as well. China is no longer merely an emerging power; it is an established and influential power. It is presenting itself as a source of stability, a partner in development and a center of dialogue. For countries like Nepal, this is a historic opportunity: to accelerate the pace of development through balanced and prudent diplomacy, to transform the compulsion of landlocked geography into a land-linked opportunity, and to stand as a respected member of a multipolar world.
Beijing’s door is open. But as Nepal enters through that door, it must also strengthen its own house. Internal stability, institutional consolidation and a foreign policy based on national consensus are the true guarantees of Nepal’s long-term interest. This is the main lesson China’s rise offers to small countries: not to applaud the power of others, but to believe in one’s own capacity. Nepal’s future depends on that very confidence.
(Author: Prem Sagar Poudel is a senior journalist and international relations analyst from Nepal. He has studied Nepal-China relations, the geopolitics of the Himalayan region, and Asian security issues in depth.)
