印太视域下美国与尼泊尔关系的进展与前景

Progress and Prospects of U.S.-Nepal Relations under the Indo-Pacific Perspective

为遏制中国的影响力从亚太延伸到南亚地区,美国将“亚太再平衡”战略升级为“印太战略”,南亚国家在美国外交战略中的地位迅速上升。美国将尼泊尔纳入“印太战略”并称它是印太地区的关键国家。在美国的大力推动及尼泊尔的积极迎合下,美尼关系全面回暖。在政治领域,拜登政府时期,美国高官访尼数量创历史新高;在援助方面,美国成功推动千禧年挑战公司在尼泊尔合同的正式生效,这标志着美国在尼泊尔基础设施领域的援助取得突破性进展;在安全领域,特朗普政府2019年发布的《印太战略报告》将尼泊尔纳入了“协作伙伴计划”。尼泊尔在受赠和购买美国武器方面都取得重要突破。美尼关系取得这些新进展,既是全球和地区局势出现新变化的产物,更是两国共同利益扩大的结果。然而,美尼关系的发展也受到美国不够重视尼泊尔、尼泊尔政府频繁更替和印度的潜在干扰等因素的限制。

To curb China’s influence extending from the Asia-Pacific region to South Asia,the United States(U.S.)has upgraded its“Asia-Pacific Rebalance Strategy”to the“Indo-Pacific Strategy”and significantly elevated the status of South Asian countries in U.S.foreign strategy.Nepal,included by the U.S.in the“Indo-Pacific Strategy”,is considered to be a key country in the Indo-Pacific region.With strong pressure from America and active cooperation from Nepal,U.S.-Nepal relations have significantly strengthened and rapidly developed.In the political realm,during the Biden administration,the number of high-ranking U.S.officials visiting Nepal reached a historic high.In the aid sector,the U.S.successfully pushed for the official implementation of the Millennium Challenge Corporation contract in Nepal,marking a breakthrough in U.S.aid in Nepal’s infrastructure sector.In the security domain,the U.S.sought to expand and deepen its security relationship with Nepal,with the Trump administration’s 2019“Indo-Pacific Strategy Report”including Nepal in the“Cooperation Partner Program”.Nepal made significant breakthroughs in both receiving and purchasing U.S.weapons.These new developments in U.S.-Nepal relations are products of changes in global and regional dynamics and the result of expanding mutual interests.However,the development of U.S.-Nepal relations is constrained by several factors,including insufficient attention from the U.S.,frequent changes in the Nepalese government,Nepal’s adherence to a“non-aligned”foreign policy tradition,and potential interference from India.Despite these constraints,U.S.-Nepal relations are expected to maintain the current momentum for a long time to come.The U.S.will have more targeted diplomatic objectives in Nepal.In the context of significantly increased strategic needs of China,the U.S.,and India for Nepal,China must prevent the U.S.and India from jointly hindering the development of China-Nepal relations and guard against Nepal’s potentially excessive demands on China.