KATHMANDU: Nepal and China signed six agreements related to various projects on Saturday.
Foreign Minister of Nepal Dr Narayan Khadka and visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi witnessed the signing and exchange of agreements, memorandums of understanding and documents after delegation level talks.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, one of the agreements is on a technical assistance scheme for the China-aided feasibility study of the cross-border railway.
Another is on on economic and technical cooperation. Under the economic and technical cooperation, China will increase its annual assistance to Nepal from NRs 13 billion to NRs 15 billion and will finance some projects that will be mutually agreed upon between the two sides.
Another agreement is on cooperation on the feasibility study of China-Nepal Power Grid interconnection where China will finance the new alignment of the Ratamate-Rasuwagadhi- Kerung transmission line.
Similarly, both sides have also signed a protocol on the safety and health conditions of haylage export from Nepal to China. Another agreement is about providing 98 percent duty free treatment to imported goods in China.
Likewise, the Chinese side has handed over the certificate of Araniko highway maintenance project phase III to Nepal.
Both sides have also also approved the minutes of the 7th meeting, held in January, on enhancing cooperation in the railway sector which took place in January 2022 in a virtual mode.
Another agreement is about the COVID-19 vaccine assistance to Nepal. China will donate an additional 4 million doses of Sinovac to Nepal.
The last one is protocol on sending a China medical team to work in Nepal.
Meanwhile, visiting State Councillor and Foreign Minister of China Wang Yi today held a meeting with Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nepal Dr Narayan Khadka at the Office of Prime Minister and Council of Ministers in Singha Durbar.
The meeting between the duo focused on Nepal-China relations, their mutual welfare and concerns and other issues at the national, regional and international level, it has been said.
Expressing his gratitude for medical equipment and COVID-19 vaccines provided by the Chinese Government and reiterating Nepal’s firm commitment to its one-China policy, the minister drew the attention of the Chinese minister to negative impacts on the country’s economy due to country’s blocked transits with China.
The 25-member Nepali delegation led by Minister Khadka includes high ranking officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and secretaries of various other ministries.
The 17-member Chinese delegation led by Foreign Minister Wang comprises Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Hou Yanqi, Assistant Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Wu Jianghao, Assistant Minister, Ministry of Commerce, Sheng Qiuping, Director-General, the Department of Asian Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Liu Jinsong, Deputy Director-General, Information Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jiang Xiaoyan, Deputy Director-General, Protocol Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Song Jia and Secretary to State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang, Deng Zhi.
Chinese Minister Wang is scheduled to pay a courtesy call on Prime Minister of Nepal Sher Bahadur Deuba today itself at the latter’s official residence in Baluwatar. Following this meeting, Minister Wang together with PM Deuba would virtually attend the completion ceremony of the Pokhara Regional International Airport.
Similarly, Minister Khadka is hosting a dinner reception in honour of his Chinese counterpart Wang today evening.
