A relief initiative launched by the International Department of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee on Friday for flood victims in Nepal, to be carried out through Nepali political parties, has drawn flak.

The Chinese Communist Party collaborated with the China Foundation for Rural Development Nepal Office to launch the initiative ‘Join hands to face the difficulties and overcome the difficulties together,’ aimed at providing humanitarian assistance to the flood-affected people in the Kathmandu Valley.

During the event, the relief materials were handed over to the representatives of various political parties of Nepal including the Nepali Congress, the CPN-UML and others.

Attendees included Wang Xin, counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Nepal, representatives from major political parties of Nepal, representatives from the China Foundation for Rural Development Nepal office and its partners, as well as local residents and government officials, said a press statement.

“In response to the disaster, the Central Committee of the CPC International Department quickly took action and supported flood-affected communities through Nepali parties,” the statement reads. “They collaborated with the China Foundation for Rural Development Nepal Office to launch the initiative ‘Join hands to face the difficulties and overcome the difficulties together and the International Department of CPC Central Committee action to comfort affected people in the 2024 Nepal flood disaster.”

It is rare for a foreign political party to provide direct aid and support to political parties in Nepal.

A leader who attended Friday's event told the Post that such practice does not do well for the host country and that it was not an event that required inviting representatives from various political parties.

“First, the amount was not significant,” said the leader requesting anonymity. “Second, extending direct support from foreign political parties to the political parties of another country is a very bad practice. But we were told by the party’s senior leaders to attend the event, so we went there but none of us were comfortable while receiving the support.”

At a time when the government has decided not to receive the support bilaterally from any country for the floods and landslide victims, receiving such donation from a political party of a foreign country sets a very wrong precedent, said the leader of a ruling party who attended the event on Friday.

“Now, if the Bharatiya Janata Party or Indian National Congress or any other political parties of other countries extend a similar kind of support to us, then what should we do?” the leader said.

According to the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu, the relief materials including rice, blankets, food packages and other daily necessities worth Rs19.70 million were distributed to the households affected by the recent floods and landslide through Nepali political parties.

Former vice-chair of the National Planning Commission, Govind Raj Pokharel, has said thatthe support provided at the time of a disaster should be welcomed but that it should be received only through an effective and transparent one-door policy.

“If the BJP of India will give us cash, then should we accept it or not?” Pokharel said. “We have to be cautious while accepting such support.”

He also pointed out the need for a timely discussion about the policy of political parties about accepting support provided by other countries directly to them. “Assistance at the time of disaster is welcome but such assistance should be accepted through one-door policy of the government,” Pokharel writes on X. “We need to think on time regarding political parties of other countries providing assistance to our political parties directly.”

After the launch of the emergency relief action, as many as 1,242 sets of carefully prepared relief supplies were swiftly distributed, including toothpaste, toothbrushes, towels, soap, sanitary pads, pressure cookers, plastic containers for packaging, blankets, mosquito nets, sleeping mats, water jar dispensers with mugs, rice, oil, lentil—essential items for the affected communities, said the Chinese Embassy.

Emergency family kits and food packages were distributed to 60 affected households during an event at Shree Mahendra Saraswati Sewa School in Teku, Kathmandu Metropolitan City-12.

Social media users have also criticised the manner in which the relief material was provided.

Vijay Kant Karna, a former ambassador, describes it as a very dangerous practice. Karna says that it gave opportunities for other countries’ diplomatic missions to distribute anything to Nepali political parties. “I have never seen this practice before in Nepal,” Karna writes on X.