Unpacking the nuances: Oli's visit, Nepal's portrayal and Chinese media
A month after Nepali PM Oli's official China visit, looking back at the trip through how it was reported in China.
Whenever Nepali and Chinese dignitaries meet during an official visit to China, the Chinese side often opens with a familiar phrase: “中国和尼泊尔是山水相连的好邻居、好朋友、好伙伴” (translated: "China and Nepal are good neighbors, good friends, and good partners connected by mountains and rivers"). It’s a standard line, almost ready to go for any official meeting. Other go-to lines include “支持尼泊尔维护国家独立” (Supporting Nepal in safeguarding its sovereignty) and sentiments about historic friendships and supporting Nepal’s development. The Nepali side typically responds with something like “尼方坚定不移恪守一个中国原则，不允许任何势力利用尼泊尔领土从事反华活动” (The Nepali side firmly abides by the One-China principle and will not allow any force to use its territory for anti-China activities). Dissecting these well-worn templates doesn't reveal much new insight.
The reporting style remains consistent across visits, regardless of the Prime Minister, but there are always nuances worth exploring—especially when it comes to Oli’s visit.
Uniform Reporting
Immediately after the foreign leader meets a top leader, like Xi Jinping, there will be a news flash (快讯) often issued by Xinhua, reporting on the meet[1] with as little as one line, simply announcing the event. The same line is then shared by other media outlets like People’s Daily[2].
This is followed by a more detailed reporting of the meeting, often using the same words, but with rearranged pictures and videos published across various Chinese media outlets. The reporting typically highlights diplomatic exchanges of appreciation and vows to continue each other’s mutual interests and sovereignty – these statements are usually translated in English without significant censorship.
In addition to official news, we can expect certain messages from President Xi to be emphasized. For instance, this time, Xi’s statement was highlighted:
Xi Jinping: Mr. Prime Minister is an old friend of the Chinese people and I deeply appreciate his commitment towards China-Nepal friendship” ( 习近平：总理先生是中国人民的老朋友 致力于中尼友好事业 我深表赞赏)[3]. “Old friend of the Chinese people” is a nostalgic term popularized by Mao Zedong in the 1950s and made a debut on People’s Daily in 1956[4]. Another Nepali leader who has received the title of being an “old friend of the Chinese people” is Prachanda in October 2019 during Xi’s Nepal visit[5]. This was reciprocated by Prachanda during his China visit in 2023 when he bestowed Xi with the title of being a “Good friend of the Nepali people”[6]. If you pay a close attention, you will notice a subtle difference: Oli is predominantly referred to as ‘old friend’, whereas with Prachanda, its ‘good friend’.
On Social Media
Once Chinese outlets like China News, Xinhua, or relevant government channels release a piece, the content tends to be uniform across various social media platforms. This consistency extends beyond articles to Weibo posts and videos, which follow a recognizable pattern.
The People’s Daily post on Weibo is divided into three paragraphs: an introductory section, followed by Chinese President Xi’s appreciation for Oli’s firm commitment to strengthening Nepal-China relations, and finally, a quote from Oli himself, which includes the line “尊敬的习主席” (Respected Chairman Xi). The post’s structure places Xi in the spotlight, creating a clear hierarchy—Xi at the center and Oli on the side.
Wang Yi- Wang Wentao- Han Shiming- Luo Zhaohui- Yang Jiechi (right) Xi (left)- Zheng Shanjie-Chen Song- Sun Weidong-Hua Chunying (REFERENCE IN THE END)
The video visualizes this post, with every frame involving Xi positioned centrally, as if the viewer is directly in front of him. In contrast, every shot of Oli is taken from the side, making it appear as though Oli is reporting to Xi, even though he was seated directly across from him. This subtle visual hierarchy isn’t accidental—nothing is trivial in Chinese diplomacy. As former Premier Zhou Enlai famously said, “外交无小事” (Nothing trivial in diplomacy). Similarly, every Chinese media post, whether an article or a video, involves a team of planners and editors carefully crafting the message.
The Handpicked Narratives
Surrounding Oli’s visit, it’s no surprise to see articles from scholars and professionals joining the bandwagon. Dr. Rajiv Jha, for instance, casually expressed his desire to return to Nepal by train—classic China, using a foreigner to push its own narrative. We also witnessed a poorly shot video with the White Dagoba in the backdrop, featuring three Nepali scholars’ optimistic take on the visit, uploaded by CGTN Nepali media[7]. Once again, a textbook example of handpicking opinions that align with the desired message. In the same vein, a video covering Oli’s visit to Peking University highlighted a Chinese journalist who majored in Nepali, which, frankly, was the most creative touch we could expect from such official coverage.
Expecting criticism from Nepali or Chinese scholars in Chinese media is a mere wishful thinking—and a clear sign of misunderstanding how Chinese media operates. Readers puzzled by the lack of diverse opinions or critical voices should, at the outset, remember that China's major media outlets are all state-owned. Anything beyond their narrative is not in their agenda.
Chinese media has its own set of "Chinese characteristics," which can be perplexing to audiences accustomed to independent journalism and traditional reporting styles. It also requires a certain level of language proficiency to truly navigate through the layers of Chinese media, let alone interpret the nuanced use of specific terms or proverbs. Oli’s visit, in fact, was covered much like previous ones—predictable and formulaic. For those hoping for creatively written pieces, the issue is that every word goes through rounds of 审核 (review), and the focus is simply on delivering the news, not on crafting a gripping reading experience.
English vs. Chinese Reporting
Limiting your understanding to just the English versions of Chinese news outlets can be misleading. The first and obvious miss of only referring to English news is the selective censorship of some information. Another miss is on the messages brought by Chinese saying or wordings
In the Chinese version of the official news, Oli scored a win with his poetic phrase: “我们两国之间只有友谊，没有问题” (There are no issues between our two countries, only friendship), which sounds like a slogan straight out of a diplomatic manual.
However, it was a chengyu (four character word):雪中送炭 in Oli’s message that caught my attention. This chengyu means “timely assistance” but dissecting the words, it means to offer fuel in the snow. It was a popular chengyu used by Chinese media referring to the Chinese assistance during 2015 earthquake followed by the blockade imposed by India[8[9]. The idiom worked so well at the time because of the whole "fuel" angle—as China symbolic assistance of fuel to Nepal after India’s blockade. And it’s how China’s media often frames the relationship between Nepal and its two neighbors: tying it back to the 2015 blockade and China’s readiness to offer fuel in the snow. Perhaps even Oli doesn’t know he used this chengyu in Chinese but one can assume reading this chengyu in Oli’s message to the Chinese side would refer to many assistance highlighting the one received in 2015.
Chinese media follows distinct reporting guidelines and doesn’t feel compelled to adhere to standards we’re familiar with internationally. Unlike the media in Nepal or the West, Chinese outlets tailor their content for different audiences: one for the Chinese-speaking population and one for international readers.
Some might have found it curious that Chinese media referenced Nepali and Indian outlets just days before Oli’s visit in 2024. The reason is simple: Chinese media lacks the authority to claim knowledge of official visits without external sources. Everyone knew about Oli’s visit well before the Ministry of Foreign Affairs made the official announcement, four days before the event. So, any mention of the visit in Chinese media had to cite credible sources from outside China. Although it might seem that Chinese media would coordinate seamlessly due to state control, there are exceptions. For instance, the *Global Times* published an article in English on November 13, followed by a Chinese version on November 27, right before the visit. The Chinese title, “打破传统”印媒紧盯尼泊尔总理“首访中国” (Breaking Tradition: Nepali PM’s First Visit to China Closely Watched by Indian Media), gave the impression that Indian media were “closely watching” the visit. Meanwhile, the English version played it safe and almost seemed like a different article altogether.
The Chinese version quoted Lin Minwang, a deputy director at Fudan University’s Center for South Asian Studies, explaining that both Prachanda (in 2008) and Oli (now) chose China as their first stop because of India’s "regional hegemony mentality." Lin’s comments, particularly about Oli’s shift from being pro-Indian to closer to China, were absent from the English version. However, Lin appeared again in another piece during the visit period, albeit with a twist. This time, his comments about Oli being once considered pro-India reversed, and Indian media were blamed for labeling Oli as "pro-China." In contrast, the English version focused more on defending Nepal and confronting India but said little about Oli himself. Essentially, the Chinese article functioned as a recap of foreign reports, peppered with a scholar's opinion. It was more about explaining why India might be overreacting to Oli’s choice of China, while the English piece kept it general and diplomatic.
Chinese news coverage of official visits often seems rather mundane, but there are subtle hints and nuances that make it worth digging into. We might never fully know why certain things are censored or others are emphasized, but it’s interesting to observe how China chooses to portray both its own leaders and Nepal’s. While Chinese leaders may call their Nepali counterparts the "best friends of the Chinese people," I still find myself pulling out a map to show where Nepal is when talking to some Chinese people. How Nepal is portrayed in Chinese media reflects a lot about how we interact with China.
List of Chinese Dignitaries who attended meeting alongside PM KP Oli (in the video)
Wang Yi – Foreign Minister of the People's Republic of China
Han Shiming- Director of the President’s Office
Mr. Wang Wentao – Minister of Commerce of the People's Republic of China.
Sun Weidong – Current Vice-Minister of MOFA, China and Former Chinese Ambassador to India.
Chen Song – Chinese Ambassador to Nepal.
Zheng Shanjie – Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC)
Luo Zhaohui – Chairman of the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA).
Yang Jiechi – Director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China.
Hua Chunying – Deputy Director of the Information Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
[1] http://www.xinhuanet.com/world/20241203/d3c1628429ab429984e8daac51b1c369/c.html
[2] https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1817405675190404892&wfr=spider&for=pc
[3] https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1817425495787185778&wfr=spider&for=pc
[4] https://chinamediaproject.org/the_ccp_dictionary/old-friends-of-the-chinese-people/
[5] https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1647279060964599743&wfr=spider&for=pc
[6] http://www.cidca.gov.cn/2023-09/25/c_1212274614.htm
[7] https://www.facebook.com/share/v/176TnMiNuG/?mibextid=wwXIfr
[8] https://www.chinanews.com/gn/2015/04-26/7234394.shtml
[9] https://news.sina.com.cn/c/2015-04-28/093431770159.shtml