KATHMANDU, FEBRUARY 26

Nepali Congress Spokesperson Prakash Sharan Mahat has said that Nepal is capable of deciding what is in its interest.

Mahat wrote in his twitter post that the decision of Nepal government to take development assistance from the US government under the Millennium Challenge Corporation deal was based on the needs and interest of Nepal. 'And we are capable of deciding what is in the interest of Nepal. We expect our friends and development partners to understand this,' Mahat added.

The NC Spokesperson's remarks came days after spokespersons of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs commented on the MCC deal criticising the US for using 'coercive diplomacy.' Civil society members and media outlets have termed the remarks of Chinese officials 'unnecessary' in Nepal's bilateral issues with the US.

On February 18 China's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin had said during a regular press briefing in Beijing that China opposed coercive diplomacy and actions that pursued selfish agenda at the expense of Nepal's sovereignty and interests. His remarks came in response to a question about MCC.

On February 23, another Spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry Hua Chunying commented on US Embassy's statement that MCC deal was a gift from America and said: Since when does a gift come with an ultimatum? How can anyone accept such a gift? Is it a gift or Pandora's box? I'm afraid it will turn out like a Nepali saying: It looks good, but you will find the meat difficult to chew.'

A version of this article appears in the print on February 27, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.