It is getting harder for small states to balance great powers
A decade-long saga in Nepal shows the difficulty of keeping everyone happy
ON MARCH 1ST, even as Russian shells and missiles rained down upon Kyiv, Kharkiv and Mariupol, Antony Blinken, America’s top diplomat, made time for a chat with Sher Bahadur Deuba, the prime minister of faraway Nepal. Ukraine was one subject of conversation—Nepal voted to condemn Vladimir Putin’s invasion at the UN the following day. It was also an occasion to mark 75 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries. “Neighbours”, as Ronald Reagan put it, “on the other side of the world.”
This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “The yam and the boulders”
From the March 12th 2022 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionMore from Asia
Taiwan’s political drama is paralysing its government
Domestic dysfunction plays right into China’s hands
An angry culture war surrounds Australia Day
Conservatives claim that wokeness is destroying the national holiday
The fate of a ranting driver raises doubts about the “new” Uzbekistan
It seems free speech is not so guaranteed after all
Indian politicians are becoming obsessed with doling out cash
Handouts are transforming the role of the state—perhaps for the worse
How to end the nightmare of Asia’s choked roads
The middle classes love cars but hate traffic
Can Donald Trump maintain Joe Biden’s network of Asian alliances?
Discipline and creativity will help, but so will China’s actions