Kathmandu, Jan 19. The Nepali version of a non-fiction book Mend or End: Nepal in the eyes of a Chinese journalist penned by a senior media professional at Xinhua News Agency has hit the book stores across the country in the first week of the New Year 2022. It was launched on January 16. The latest book is entitled “Nepal in the eyes of a Chinese journalist” without subtitle. The author Zhou Shengping has been living and working in the Himalayan country for a decade.
His first English book Mend or End published in April 2021 has received immense love and positive feedback, with over a dozen reviews of it in national media of Nepal and China. Encouraged by the unexpected popularity, the Kathmandu-based journalist comes up with the Nepali edition in January 2022 to let Nepali people understand China and Chinese perspective about their country in their own native language. His new initiative wins the support of a lot of Nepali friends. Jhalanath Khanal, former Prime Minister, Ganga Prasad Upreti, Chancellor of Nepal Academy, Yubaraj Sangroula, professor at Kathmandu School of Law, have given their forewords brimming with warm feeling for this interesting book. Janata Publications has published the Nepali book in mid-January with a selling price of Nepali Rupees 350.
The Nepali edition is divided into five chapters, namely politics, economics, culture and education, society and environment, and travel and tourism. In the over 240 pages book, the 43-year-old author has shared his personal experience and stories through the collection of already-published articles in both national and international media. It is a compilation of articles, analyses, interviews and news items and opinion pieces. To make the Nepali book more attractive and updated, the author substitutes eight fresh articles for the same number of old ones. These new articles touch hot and pressing issues like China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and USA’s Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact. He tries to analyze the geopolitical relationship of Nepal with his own country China, the southern neighbor India and the USA.
The book starts with the first article “Is Nepal a small country?”, where he advocates that Nepal should not feel small, as it is happier, freer and less corrupt than many other countries of the world, who claim themselves as bigger. “Great Nepal, you are not small, don’t fool yourself or be fooled by others, which may imprison your future. Do dream bigger and walk unencumbered among all bigger counterparts including India and China today onwards,” Shengping suggests to Nepal. In Politics chapter, he has expressed concern over growing political instability in Nepal, reasons behind failure, and way outs in achieving Nepali people’s long-cherished dream of socio-economic development and prosperity. Having spent years in Nepal, the author understands the concerns and aspirations of common Nepali people and expresses their voice through this collection.
Suggesting Nepali leaders to wake up and focus on the country’s socio-economic development, the author quotes Chinese paramount leader late Mao Zedong as saying “10,000 years are too long, seize the day, seize the hour.” The book also covers various aspects of China-Nepal relationship which has entered into a strategic partnership level following the historic Nepal visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping in October 2019. The author observes that the visit added a new chapter to friendly and cordial relationship between the two countries. The author views that Nepal has huge potential to reap benefits from the rise of China and India and transform itself into a dynamic bridge.
Due to this, Sundar Bhattarai, executive chairman of China Study Center considers Shenping Zhou’s book as “a rarity” , saying this column “is full of priceless advises based on realities and his unbiased experiences.” Besides Nepali politics, geopolitics and diplomacy, the author has shared his perspectives about Nepal’s economy, the setbacks and potentials. He has also shed light on the importance of BRI projects in Nepal, and the challenges of Chinese railway dream. The author has been mesmerized by the colorful cultural diversity and natural beauty of Nepal and simplicity and friendliness of people, which are reflected in the following chapters.
In his foreword, Nepali former Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal has regarded this book as a priceless gift of multidisciplinary suggestions to Nepal. “This book can be viewed as ‘China’s suggestions’ as a whole instead of just Zhou’s suggestions, Khanal mentions, adding that the Nepali government, political parties and Nepali people should pay attention to such constructive suggestions. With this book reaching the book stands across Nepal as welcome as morning air, Mr Zhou Shengping is already in the path of publishing a new book about Nepal in English language in 2022.
