China Blocks Marriages Along Nepal-Tibet Border Without Explanation

China has banned cross-border marriages between people living on the Nepal-Tibet border, disrupting centuries-old ties among closely connected communities, reports The Diplomat. The people in the region, sharing ethnic and cultural heritage, can no longer marry freely across the border—a restriction in place since 2012 without official explanation. Locals note that, while trade with China flourishes and goods flow from Tibet into Nepal, social ties have suffered. Meetings with Tibetan relatives are also limited, with pandemic-era restrictions still in place, leaving locals questioning Beijing's motives behind selectively controlling intimate cross-border interactions.