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Nepal China relations are determined more by political expediency than any economic ties. Nepal maintains its relations with China to keep the growing political and economic influence of India from spreading further into Nepal's economic map.
Nepal China relations finds mention in ancient historical texts. A number of Chinese scholars visited Nepal in ancient times to study the various aspects of the Buddhist religion. Many Nepali architects visited Beijing to construct civil structures as commissioned by the Chinese rulers. The relation between Nepal and China is not always formed on an equal power basis. Nepal's botched invasion of Tibet led to the Chinese army taking up positions in Tibetan territories. Nepal was forced to recognize Chinese supremacy and made to pay tributes on a yearly basis to China.
The cold relation between the two countries further aggravated, when British India sent an expeditionary force to Tibet. Nepal was then pro-British and did not offer assistance-whether military or non-military to the Chinese authorities posted in the region. China did not take the rebuke lightly. The huge Asian military power began by putting restrictions on the activities of Nepal traders in China occupied Tibetan territory. Nepal has since developed a semblance of cordial relation with China by accepting infrastructural assistance from the People's Republic. The present foreign policy of Nepal is to maintain studied neutrality between India and China.
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