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Nepal-China signing agreements today

Khabarhub

October 13, 2019

3 MIN READ

Nepal-China signing agreements today

KATHMANDU: Nepal and China will engage in formal dialogue today with Nepal’s Prime Minister K P Oli and Chinese President Xi Jinping leading their respective delegations.

The two sides are expected to ink a number of agreements and Memoranda of Understandings (MoU).

The draft of the agreements has been finalized by officials from Nepal and China in line with the spirit of the joint statement issued by Nepal and China during PM Oli’s visit to China in June 2018.

The priority, as Nepali authorities claim, will be on connectivity. However, the widely talked-about extradition treaty is not likely to be signed, sources have claimed.

PM Oli and Chinese President Xi will witness the signing of the agreements or MoUs, including the construction of the 30-kilometer tunnel way connecting Kathmandu and Kerung, border point of China.

Sources said that China will agree to construct the 4-kilometer tunnel way — at two stretches — in grant, sources have said. While the first section will connect Tokha of Kathmandu with Chhahare of Nuwakot, the 17-kilometer second stretch will link Betrawati and Syafrubesi of Rasuwa district.

Likewise, an extension of the 70 km rail link from Shigatse-Kerung railway line, upgrading the Rasuwagadi checkpoint and road to Kathmandu, construction of Tokha-Chahare Tunnel, among others are also in the list.

An agreement to prepare a DPR (detailed project report) for the railway link is expected to be signed today.

Likewise, construction of the Madan Bhandari University, Koshi Corridor highway to Kimathanka, Kali Gandaki Corridor to Korala, among others are also in the priority.

Likewise, before the signing of the agreements, Chinese President Xi will hold talks with PM Oli and discuss a wide range of bilateral issues, sources said.

Before this, Chairman of Nepal Communist Party (NCP) Pushpa Kamal Dahal will call on President Xi.
Xi is currently on a two-day state visit to Nepal after completing a two-day informal visit to India, where President Xi held discussions on a wide range of issues with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

This visit is the first state visit to Nepal by the President of China after Jing Zemin visited the country in 1996.
President Xi will leave Kathmandu at 1 pm this afternoon wrapping up his two-day state visit.

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