The Nepali authorities’ handling of an indoor gathering marking the 91st birthday of the 14th Dalai Lama has drawn criticism in Nepal, with a leader of the Nepali Communist Party (NCP) saying the episode exposed a gap between Kathmandu’s stated commitment to the one-China principle and its actions in practice.

“In the past, the government of Nepal had denied formal authorization for such events. This time, however, the Kathmandu District Administration Office appears to have granted permission to hold the program on the school premises,” Dev Prasad Gurung, a member of the NCP’s Central Working Coordination Committee and chief of the party’s Law and Justice Department, said in an interview.

According to Gurung, the event was held on July 6 at Namgyal School in Kathmandu's Swayambhu area and was organized by members of the Tibetan community in Nepal.

He said most diplomatic missions in Kathmandu had been invited, but only a small number of missions and international organizations were represented. Those reportedly present included representatives from the United States, France, Australia and the European Union, as well as the UN refugee agency.

Outdoor rallies, public assemblies and poster displays linked to the occasion remained prohibited. The indoor gathering, however, went ahead amid heightened security. According to Gurung, Nepal Police had been deployed around the school grounds from early morning.

Gurung described what he saw as the event’s apparent formal authorization and the circumstances under which it proceeded as a marked departure from how similar activities had previously been handled.

The event subsequently drew criticism from political figures and former diplomats in Nepal. Seven former Nepali ambassadors to China issued a joint statement expressing concern over the event and the participation of representatives from foreign diplomatic missions. The former ambassadors recalled Nepal’s longstanding adherence to the One-China principle and its commitment not to allow its territory to be used for activities that could harm the interests of friendly countries. They warned that if the event had been held with the government’s consent, it could have adverse implications for Nepal’s adherence to the One-China principle and its friendly relations with China.

Gurung said NCP leaders had also opposed the authorities’ handling of the event and supported the concerns raised by the former ambassadors. Asked whether he shared those concerns, Gurung said: “That was the correct course of action, and we fully endorse it.”

During his official visit to China from June 14 to 17, Nepali Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal held talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing on June 15. The Nepali side reaffirmed the government’s firm commitment to the one-China principle and pledged that Nepali territory would not be allowed to be used for any activities against China.

Gurung contrasted that pledge with the authorities’ handling of the July 6 gathering. “However, following that commitment, the government displayed a dual nature by permitting the Dalai Lama’s birthday to be celebrated openly,” he said. “We have been continuously protesting against this policy inconsistency.”

Discussing Nepal’s broader diplomatic posture, Gurung said the country’s traditional foreign policy calls for equal and friendly relations with all countries, guided by the Panchasheel principles, non-alignment, world peace, the UN Charter and international law, while giving priority to close ties with friendly neighboring countries.

However, he argued that Nepal’s state apparatus had long been dominated by what he described as “Indo-Western interests.” “Following the Gen Z revolution in Kathmandu on September 8 and 9, 2025, the government has been on a trajectory toward becoming a puppet of these Indo-Western interests,” he said. “We have been unable to rectify this situation.”

As a result, he said, Nepal has faced growing challenges in maintaining a balanced foreign policy that reflects its geopolitical realities and remains grounded in the principles of peace and non-alignment. “We will strive to correct this course in the coming days,” he added.

Despite these concerns, Gurung expressed confidence in the future of China-Nepal relations.

“Nepal and China have long shared close and friendly relations as neighbors,” he said, pointing to decades of Chinese assistance to Nepal in areas including economic development, trade, infrastructure, education, health, science and technology, and tourism.

Gurung said cooperation with China, Nepal’s friendly neighbor, remains essential to Nepal’s future prosperity. In accordance with the “neighborhood priority” principle of Nepal’s foreign policy, he added, the NCP would continue to prioritize the development of bilateral relations with China in the years ahead.