China Draws Criticism for Politicizing Mount Everest at Nepal’s Sagarmatha Sambaad

China’s Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, Xiao Jie, has come under fire for repeatedly using the Chinese name “Chomolungma” instead of Sagarmatha or Mount Everest during his address at Nepal’s flagship climate dialogue, the Sagarmatha Sambaad.

Despite the event being officially named after the Nepali title for the world’s highest peak—Sagarmatha, which symbolizes Nepal’s national pride and identity—Xiao Jie referred to the mountain exclusively by its Sino-Tibetan name throughout his speech. Over the course of a 20-minute address delivered in Chinese and translated for attendees, he used the term “Chomolungma” at least ten times, ignoring the very name under which the international event was being held.

The incident has raised concerns of diplomatic insensitivity and subtle political messaging, especially considering that other international participants, including representatives from India, the United Kingdom, Japan, and various multilateral organizations, respected the official terminology of the event.

“We noticed it, but we are not in a position to say anything about it,” a Nepali Foreign Ministry official told media on condition of anonymity, reflecting the unease in Kathmandu’s diplomatic circles over China’s disregard for Nepal’s chosen nomenclature.

Adding to the irony, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, who was present during the address alongside Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba and Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel, had recently advocated for branding the peak as “Sagarmatha” on the global stage. However, no objection was raised during the session, and the government remained silent even after the event.

Observers have criticized China’s move as a subtle assertion of territorial narrative under the guise of diplomatic participation. By deliberately using the Chinese name for a mountain that straddles the Nepal-China border—but has deep-rooted cultural and national significance in Nepal—Beijing appeared to be promoting its own geopolitical terminology, ignoring local sensitivities.

The Sagarmatha Sambaad, envisioned as a platform for global dialogue on climate change, mountains, and humanity’s future, brought together representatives from over a dozen countries and major international organizations such as the UN, World Bank, ADB, SAARC, and BIMSTEC. The Chinese vice chairman’s remarks, however, overshadowed the spirit of multilateral cooperation the forum aimed to foster.

This latest episode adds to a growing list of instances where China has been accused of cultural appropriation and discursive assertiveness, particularly in smaller South Asian nations where it is expanding its diplomatic and economic footprint.