剛剛，小魯同學看外媒TIME時，發現一個有趣報導
http://time.com/3836182/china-nepal-earthquake-taiwan-geopolitics/
China Rushes Aid to Nepal After Deadly Earthquake; Taiwan Is Turned Away
Even with survivors still being pulled from the rubble, geopolitical
ramifications loom large
China this weekend rushed a 62-person team to Nepal to help with the ongoing
search rescue operation after Saturday’s 7.9-magnitude earthquake. They
landed in Kathmandu early Sunday and set to work immediately, according to
Chinese state media. The rescuers and a second group from the People’s
Liberation Army are both well-equipped to help in the desperate search for
survivors of a disaster that has already claimed more than 3,600 lives: Some
are veterans of the devastating 2008 Sichuan earthquake, which had a 70,000
death toll, and they bring much-needed supplies.
Not making the trip just yet: a team from Taiwan. Though dozens of Taiwanese
were still missing in Nepal, and Taiwan has strong capabilities in disaster
recovery and relief, the island was not asked to participate, Vice Foreign
Minister Andrew Kao said Monday. (Taiwan NGOs and religious groups do plan to
go and Taiwan people have already raised a large sum of money to support the
recovery effort.)
It’s still uncertain whether Taiwan’s exclusion is an oversight or a (very
poorly timed) slight. But it is clear that a mere two days after the quake,
as Nepalis dig barehanded for their loved ones, and families sleep outside in
the pouring rain, geopolitical questions loom large. Chief among them is how
China’s involvement in the recovery effort could further change the balance
of power in the region, challenging India and potentially putting Nepal’s
Tibetan exile community at risk.
Tiny, landlocked Nepal is a foreign policy priority for China. Located at the
edge of Tibet, the nation of 30 million is a buffer state between regional
superpowers China and India. Though India has long seen Nepal as part of its
sphere of influence, China has in recent years stepped up efforts to increase
its role across Central and South Asia, an effort President Xi Jinping calls
the “One Road, One Belt” initiative. (The China-India proxy fight is also
playing out in Sri Lanka, as TIME’s Nikhil Kumar recently wrote.)
The “One Road” portion of the project will bolster China’s existing
investment in infrastructure and trade. With better road links between Tibet
Autonomous Region and Nepal, Beijing will be better placed to access markets
in South Asia. China is now the largest player in terms of Foreign Direct
Investment in Nepal, overtaking the previous claimant, India. All this, along
with China’s massive investment in Pakistan, no doubt has New Delhi nervous.
Another sticking point: exiled Tibetans. Since the Dalai Lama fled to India
in 1959, Nepal has traditionally been both a way-station and a refuge for
Tibetans fleeing Chinese rule. But as China’s influence has grown, Nepal’s
hospitality has waned. A U.S. embassy cable released by WikiLeaks in 2010
noted that “Beijing has asked Kathmandu to step up patrols,” and was
providing “financial incentives” to those who apprehended would-be exiles.
Indeed, multiple reports suggest things are getting tougher for the estimated
20,000-strong exile community in Nepal. In April 2014, Human Rights Watch
issued a 100-page report, Under China’s Shadow, documenting what they
called, “a de facto ban on political protests, sharp restrictions on public
activities promoting Tibetan culture and religion, and routine abuses by
Nepali security forces.” (In a statement, Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign
Affairs denounced the findings as “unnecessary meddling into the friendly
relationships between the two close neighbors,” but did not rebut specific
claims.)
If neighborly sentiment means more aid for those still waiting in the ruble,
few will complain. But Nepal has reason to wonder if this assistance will
also bring a push for greater control.