PM Oli expresses Nepal’s reservations over China–India Lipulekh trade route in meeting with Xi

TIANJIN, CHINA: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, during a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday, expressed Nepal’s reservations about the China–India deal to open a trade route through the Lipulekh Pass.

During a meeting with President Xi at the Tianjin State Guest House upon his arrival to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit 2025, PM Oli explicitly expressed Nepal’s opposition to the China–India deal making the Lipulekh Pass, an inseparable part of sovereign Nepal, a trade route between them, Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai said.

“It is clear that all lands east of the Mahakali River belong to sovereign Nepal as per the Sugauli Treaty of 1816. Nepal is confident that China will support Nepal in this matter,” Foreign Secretary Rai quoted Prime Minister Oli as saying during the meeting with President Xi.

Prime Minister Oli said, “As Nepal is clear not to let its land be used against any other country, it equally expresses its objection to the consensus by other countries about its (Nepal’s) land.”

In response, President Xi stated that he has no dissenting view on Nepal’s stance and said that the issue should be resolved through dialogue between Nepal and India, according to Foreign Secretary Rai.

Rai also stated that diverse issues of friendly relations and cooperation between the two countries were discussed at the meeting and a consensus was forged to activate both countries’ mechanisms to deepen bilateral relations and cooperation.

This is PM Oli’s fourth formal visit to China in the capacity of prime minister and his second visit to China in 2025.

Likewise, the leaders discussed expediting the implementation of projects under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the socio-economic development of Nepal through BRI projects, Prime Minister Oli’s Economic and Development Adviser Dr Yuba Raj Khatiwada said.

Dr Khatiwada stated that China was positive about opening more border points.

Furthermore, China was ready to support quality and commercial agricultural production to promote Nepal’s exports to China.

The Chinese side also made it clear that China was committed to supporting Nepal in transforming landlocked Nepal into land-linked.

Present on the occasion were former Deputy Prime Minister and House of Representatives (HoR) Member Purna Bahadur Khadka, Minister for Education Raghuji Pant, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Badri Prasad Pandey, Dr Khatiwada, former Minister and HoR Member Chhabilal Bishwakarma, Secretary Rai, Nepal’s Ambassador to China Dr Krishna Prasad Oli, China’s Ambassador to Nepal Chen Song, and others.

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