Nepal, China agree to deepen cooperation, respect each other's sensitivities
KATHMANDU: Nepal and China have reiterated their commitment to each other’s sensitivities, priorities and mutual respect while agreeing to expand cooperation across multiple sectors, officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said on Tuesday.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Shisir Khanal is on a four-day official visit to China at the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. During bilateral talks, delegations discussed infrastructure, connectivity, border management, energy trade, investment, agriculture, technology transfer, information technology and digitalisation, tourism, chemical fertiliser, exploration of petroleum and natural gas, and people-to-people ties.
The MoFA said the discussions covered the full range of Nepal-China relations, which it characterised as rooted in friendship, harmony and cooperation. It reiterated Nepal’s adherence to the One China Principle and affirmed that Nepal will not allow its territory to be used against China.
The MoFA added that Chinese officials reaffirmed their support for Nepal’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence, and pledged continued backing for Nepal’s efforts to strengthen governance and promote economic growth.
Both sides expressed a firm commitment to accelerate projects agreed earlier and to cooperate on matters of common interest in regional and multilateral forums, according to a press statement issued by the Nepali Embassy in China.
During his visit, Foreign Minister Khanal attended a dinner held in his honour and met the head of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party to discuss ways to strengthen ties. He also visited the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research under the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing to learn about the institute’s activities and potential collaboration with Nepali institutions linked to Tribhuvan University.
Minister Khanal emphasised the importance of deepening cooperation in science and technology. He is scheduled to return to Nepal on Wednesday.
(With inputs from RSS)
