“Global Power shift: Geopolitical Complexity of Nepal”

Biratnagar: A talk program was organized by the Department of political science, Prithvi Narayan Campus, Pokhara on the topic “Global Power shift: Geopolitical Complexity of Nepal” and held at the conference hall within the premise of the college on 15th February, 2023.

Prof. Khadga KC, Ph.D. Professor at the Department of International relations and diplomacy of Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, was the keynote speaker of the program.

Dr. KC highlighted the current world politics with the global shift of power towards south Asia particularly China, and the geopolitical complexity of Nepal.

The program was chaired by Prof. Than Bahadur Chhetri, HOD of the Department of Political Science, PN Campus Pokhara.

Professors and faculties of different departments of the campus, representatives of the Political Science Society of Nepal, and students of political science actively took part in the program.

Prof. Uma Nath Baral welcomed the participants and also highlighted the recent shift of global power towards Asia.

He stressed the fact that China and India being the most populous countries in the world are the emerging great powers.

The key note speaker discussed on the emergence of new superpowers which has now changed the unipolar world order that has been under the lead of the US.

According to him, the 2014 attack on Crimea by Russia was a global rollback phenomenon that initiated Russia’s reinstatement of the bipolar world.

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the Russian annexation of Crimea, and the economic crisis of America in late first decade of 21st century are the major markers of new global phenomena in the world.

According to him, microbes and viruses are also altering the balance of power on the planet. The globe contains hundreds of biological laboratories, despite the fact that there are only nine nuclear-armed governments, with more than 90% of all warheads controlled by Russia and the United States. Of these, dozens—distributed across five continents—have been granted permission to conduct experiments with the most dangerous viruses on earth.

The COVID pandemic has raised questions about privatization policies in America. The weakened public institutions in Western liberal countries led to the failure of the effective contingency of COVID effects in those countries than the communist/ socialist countries.

The success of China in the containment of COVID effects was largely attributed to strong public institutions in communist countries. Global Security Initiative (GSI) led by China and Indo pacific strategy by America is reminiscent of Cold War politics.

He insisted that US President Joe Biden acknowledges that China and Russia each pose a unique set of security challenges in its new national security strategy. China is the sole rival to the US that has the intention and, increasingly, the economic, diplomatic, military, and technological capacity to further that goal.

China is emerging globally with strength in patent rights and artificial intelligence. By 2021 China has beaten US in patent rights. The GSI and Patent rights are now a major strength of China.

Dr. KC also highlighted on Global innovation index and pointed out that China is rapidly rising up and is now in 12th in the list. America at the moment is still the global superpower based on its military spending and Global innovation index but according to KC China will soon surpass the US.

At the end of the program, Department Head Professor Than Bahadur Chetri mentioned that man or woman is a power-oriented animal. He or she acquires power from various sources such as education, property, money, etc.

Likewise, every nation wants to acquire more power to dominate and maintain hegemony in the world. But, power is never static, it is dispersed as well as it rises and falls. The present world which was developed after the second war has undergone a sea change. The power has shifted from West to East.

Change in power equation hampers peace and stability in the region, barriers to infrastructure development, changes in business activity and roles of the actors, energy transmission, etc.

The program was a grand success.

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