I am not a politician, but my interest and works have been deeply rooted in the development of Nepal, my beloved motherland as demonstrated by my works (please visit my Facebook Tulasi Joshi for details). I have tried to walk the talks (perform by actions) with my limited resources. Here I am only trying to share my experiences. I thought this would help shade some light in the controversy of MCC (Millennium Challenge Corporation).
I visited Beijing China just about 30 years ago in December, 1991 around X-mas time. That time, especially the four countries of Asia—South Korea, Hongkong, Taiwan and Singapore were considered the model of economic development in Asia and were called the “4 tigers of Asia.” China observed the development of these 4 countries and came to a conclusion that the best way to have an economic development of China was to attract the capital and technology of America to China as these countries achieved development by doing so. But for China, because of the political, ideological and cultural vast differences with America, it was not an easy task. However, China bitted the bullet of these differences and tried to accommodate America economically and giving all sorts of conveniences.
The biggest strength of China was low labor cost and the rule of law. In China no one can defy the rule of law and things can run smoothly (Nepal has a long way to go in this respect as Nepal is listed the most corrupt country among the 17 surveyed Asian countries by Transparency International. and without implementing the rule of law a country cannot progress). When I visited China, the labor cost was about 50 cents an hour whereas inn America it was between 10-15 dollars an hour. So China was a big attraction for American entrepreneurs to make money.
On the top of that China tried to give other kind of conveniences and pleasantries to Americans. For example, I was staying in a tall hotel in Beijing. The hotel was decorated better than any hotel in America with X-mas lights, X-mas trees, Santa Clause taking a round on every floor, and the X-mas dinner was just like in America. The X-mas flavor at this hotel surpassed America. It was all done to make Americans feel at home.
Around that time, I read or heard that China allocated a vast track of land near Shanghai where westerners could do any things they wanted (make their own rules, build infrastructures, factories and other businesses, etc.). But foreigners could not own majority stake in the business. Now look at where China is; it has the second biggest economy in the world surpassing Japan. China got the technology, capital and business skills to be productive from the West. When I was in Beijing about 30 years ago, there were hardly any cars on the road; I could see from my hotel room mainly an ocean of bicycles on the road
America has great values which are free enterprises, competition, basic human fundamental rights and helping others. America has a deep rooted desire to help Nepal as America has given around 4,000 DVs a year to Nepalis; no other South Asian country receives DV; now I have heard that America now gives visas to Nepalis to work also in the agriculture sector in America. The talk that America is trying to make Nepal a platform to encounter China is a completely fabrication as there is no mention in the MCC agreement of American military operation in Nepal which is also stated by the Vice President of MCC.
I think MCC agreement is a win-win thing for Nepal, and should be approved by the Nepal Government without delay.
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