Kathmandu, May 29: Heated arguments between Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Chen Song and a Nepalese journalist has gone viral on social media X.
The arguments took a nasty turn after the Ambassador asked journalist Gajendra Budhathoki to apologise for writing “misleading” information about the loan taken by the Government of Nepal for the construction of Pokhara Airport on social media, causing a mix of support and protest.
While most of them have raised the question about diplomatic dignity of the Ambassador, others questioned what would have happened if the Indian or U.S. ambassador had done the same.
Budhathoki, also the editor of Taksar magazine, posted a screenshot of a document from the annual report of the Office of the Auditor General that states the amount of loan taken by the Government of Nepal from the Chinese bank for the construction of Pokhara Airport and the interest thereof, drawing the attention of the Ambassador.
The Ambassador wrote in a reply post, “The worst lie I have ever seen. This is public information, but you dare lie about it.”
In response, journalist Budhathoki said that he would publish it with evidence. After this, the Ambassador have warned that “if you have the document, publish it”. He seems to have vented his ire against Budhathoki saying that first he spread lies, and then he is looking for evidence.
The Chinese Ambassador has also asked him to apologise formally.
On the other hand, Budhathoki wrote that the total cost, including the interest, service charge and fee of the loan taken for the airport, is estimated to be about 5 percent, “As a media representative, it is important to present the facts objectively. I am not a diplomat or an official representative of the Government of Nepal, so threats from the Ambassador are intolerable.”
