Nepali, Chinese foreign ministers hold bilateral talks, ink 9 MoUs

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on his three-day official visit to Kathmandu met his Nepali counterpart Dr Narayan Khadka on Saturday and discussed bilateral relations and mutual cooperation as both sides signed nine agreements.

While Khadka led a 25-member delegation from Nepal’s side, Wang led a 17-member Chinese delegation.

This is the first high-ranking official visit to Nepal since Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba took over the office in July, last year.

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"Chinese Foreign Minister who is on a three-day official visit to Nepal held bilateral talks with his Nepali counterpart Narayan Khadka. During the meeting, the whole gamut of bilateral relations was discussed. A few agreements and MoUs were also signed,” MOFA Spokesperson Sewa Lamsal told WION.

The two ministers discussed all important aspects of Nepal-China relations and cooperation. They underscored the importance of the exchange of high-level visits on a regular basis in order to strengthen mutual trust and confidence and to further consolidate Nepal-China relations.

After their talks, the two sides signed nine MoUs related to various projects, including one on the cross-border railway, which is an important component of the Trans-Himalayan Multidimensional connectivity network between Nepal and China.

The cross-border railway was incorporated into China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) at the second Belt and Road Forum for international cooperation in April 2019.

Both the countries have signed an agreement on -- first, Economic and Technical Cooperation, second, technical assistance scheme for China-Aid feasibility study of China-Nepal cross-border railway project, third a cooperation agreement on the feasibility study of Nepal-China power grid interconnection, fourth, protocol on the safety and health conditions for the export of Haylage from Nepal to China.

Among the nine, both sides have also signed an exchange of letters onduty-free treatment to be provided by China to goods of Nepali origin covering 98 per centtariff lines.

Other agreements include handover certificate of Araniko Highway Maintenance Project (Phase III), minutes of the Seventh Meeting between Nepal and China on Enhancing Cooperation in Railway Sector, protocol on Sending a Chinese Medical Team to Work in Nepal at B.P. Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital.

As per the Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation, China has agreed to provide Nepal with a grant of RMB 600 million. The grant will be utilized for the projects mutually agreed upon between the two Governments.

“Foreign Minister Khadka reiterated Nepal’s commitment to One China policy and not to allow any activity against China in Nepali territory. Both sides reaffirmed their support for sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national independence of each other,” said Nepal MOFA statement.

Khadka thanked, “thanked the Chinese side for the completion of development projects such as Araniko Highway Long-term Opening Maintenance Project (Phase III) and Pokhara International Regional Airport.”

The two Foreign Ministers stressed the need to have continuedpartnership in order to overcome the challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic and to focus on COVID-19 response and recovery.

The leaders also discussed the most pressing issue of trading border points.

“During the talks, both sides also focused on issues relating to trade, investment, and tourism. They underscored the need to fully operationalize the Tatopani/Zhangmu and Rasuwagadi/Kerung border ports for the two-way movement of goods between Nepal and China. The two Ministers have instructed their relevant authorities to work together to this end,” MOFA said.

With a view to promoting tourism and people-to-people contacts between the two countries, the two Foreign Ministers agreed to resume, at an early date, the passenger air services suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

With reports claiming Chinese encroachment into Nepalese territory and setting up buildings, the two ministers agreed to carry out a joint inspection ofNepal-China boundary through mutual consultation.

“Underlining the importance of continuously maintaining Nepal-China border peaceful and tranquil in the spirit of the Boundary treaty, the two Foreign Ministers agreed to carry out joint inspection of Nepal-China boundary through mutual consultation,” the statement added.

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lamsal told WION that after the bilateral talks Foreign Minister Wang called on Prime Minister Deuba.

“For tomorrow the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will hold a courtesy call to President of Nepal and he will also hold talks with former PMs — KP Sharma Oli, Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’,” she added.

Later in the evening, Wang called on Prime Minister Deuba at the Prime Minister’s official residence at Baluwatar here and the two leaders discussed bilateral relations and mutual cooperation.

Wang handed over the symbolic key of the Pokhara airport to Foreign Minister Khadka at the presence of the Prime Minister.

As per reports, the much-delayed $217 million projects was built with a loan from China’s Exim Bank and will start operating later this year.

“State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the PRC H.E. Mr. Wang Yi paid a courtesy call on the Rt. Hon. PM@SherBDeubatoday. Rt. Hon. PM witnessed the virtual completion ceremony of the Pokhara Regional International Airport,” MOFA said in a tweet.