Kathmandu, June 16: China and Nepal on Monday reaffirmed their commitment to deepening their strategic partnership, with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal pledging to strengthen political trust, expand Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and enhance connectivity between the two countries.
During bilateral talks in Beijing, Wang said China and Nepal are “good neighbors connected by mountains and rivers” whose friendship has remained strong despite changes in the international and domestic political landscape, according to a press note released by China’s Foreign Ministry.
During the meeting, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China would continue to encourage its companies to invest in Nepal and expressed hope that Nepal would provide a conducive business environment for Chinese investors, according to China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He recalled Chinese President Xi Jinping’s historic visit to Nepal in 2019, during which the two countries elevated their ties to a Strategic Partnership of Cooperation Featuring Ever-lasting Friendship for Development and Prosperity. Wang noted that the two nations jointly celebrated the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations last year and expressed China’s readiness to carry forward traditional friendship and achieve new progress in bilateral cooperation.
Wang praised Nepal for firmly adhering to the One China Policy and supporting Beijing on issues related to Taiwan and Tibet, describing them as China’s core interests. He said China would continue to support Nepal in safeguarding its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and back the new Nepali government’s efforts to pursue a development path suited to the country’s national conditions.
Calling China a reliable neighbor and development partner, Wang said Beijing is willing to work with Nepal to advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, particularly in electricity transmission, roads, border infrastructure and aviation. He said such cooperation would help transform Nepal from a “landlocked country” into a “land-linked country.”
Foreign Minister Khanal said the friendship between Nepal and China spans centuries and continues to grow stronger. He thanked China for its longstanding support for Nepal’s development and people’s livelihoods, as well as its respect for Nepal’s sovereignty and independence.
Khanal said Nepal’s new government is committed to people-centered development while maintaining its long-standing policy of non-alignment. He reaffirmed Nepal’s unwavering commitment to the One China Policy, stating that Taiwan- and Tibet-related matters are China’s internal affairs and that Nepal would not allow any force to use its territory against China’s interests. #nepal
