​​Chinese restaurateur’s experience in Nepal during the Maoist insurgency

Since Zhang Yiwu took charge of the China Mountain Restaurant, every Nepali prime minister has visited the place.

Zhang Yiwu, a lanky man in Nepal's turbulent capital, Kathmandu, is already somewhat of a celebrity, even though he is still in his 30s. The young man from Chengdu runs the most popular Chinese eatery in Nepal, “China Mountain Restaurant” (中国山饭店). The reporter became good friends with him shortly after arriving in Nepal and knew that his business was struggling to keep up with the sound of cannons, gunshots, and screams. In April, he experienced a local political storm when Nepal’s seven political parties suddenly staged a general strike. Kathmandu was the first to witness mass demonstrations, and chaos erupted outside the China Mountain Restaurant. Fortunately, Zhang and his restaurant were not badly affected.