The Friendship Bridge, Nepal-Tibet Border is the only international gateway into Tibet. After anti-government riots erupted March 14, Beijing closed off Tibet to foreign and domestic tourists and cracked down on Tibetans trying to escape. And China’s security apparatus doesn’t stop at the border.
Chinese security police in athletic wear can be seen lounging in tea shops and strolling the sole street in the border town of Liping. They shadow three Associated Press journalists from the moment they arrive, ordering them not to take photographs on Nepalese territory,
“The Chinese asked us unofficially to cooperate on securing the border. They are far stricter now,: said one Nepali immigration official, requesting anonymity since he was not authorized to speak to the press. “Even an Austrian lady who was studying Chinese in Lhasa was not allowed to enter.”
Information for this report was provided by AP .