Hierarchies of cross-border mobility on the Sino–Nepalese border
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21588331 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Jarmila Ptackova (0000-0002-5558-5734), Uddhab Pyakurel (0000-0002-8660-4651) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 65 |
| Publication date | 2026-01-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | European Bulletin of Himalayan Research (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0943-8254 • E-ISSN: 2823-6114 |
| Publisher | OpenEdition (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.4000/169j8 |
| OpenAlex | W7162067113 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 14 |
The Himalayan region where the Tibetan plateau meets Nepal is a strategic corridor for trade routes between India and Tibet. Local border permeability in this region has traditionally been essential for the survival of communities residing in remote areas of the world’s highest mountain ranges. However, since the demarcation of modern states, territoriality has been exercised through the imposition of an increasing number of regulations to control cross-border movement. With the PRC’s growing economic self-assurance and political confidence, former bilateral negotiations over border control are turning into unilateral Chinese decisions. In accordance with China’s long-term goal of securing its border, restrictive measures along the border have been reinforced. This paper examines the changes in border mobility regulations at the former Nepal–Tibet and current Nepal–China frontier and the shift in decision-making hierarchies related to China’s growing influence in the region. It especially focuses on the period of complete border closure during the COVID-19 pandemic, which China managed to extend by up to four years, and how this affected cross-border mobility rules and the lives and livelihoods of the frontier population
China · Frontier · Livelihood · Negotiation · Politics · Territoriality · Cross-Border Cooperation and Integration · Sociopolitical Dynamics in Nepal · South Asian Studies and Conflicts
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |