ILAM: Chairman of the ruling Nepal Communist Party Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has said that Nepal always stands for independent and non-aligned foreign policy.

Speaking a press meet organized here on Saturday afternoon, Chairman Dahal said that Nepal will not participate in any military coalition as Nepal’s foreign policy is derived from  Panchsheel, the five principles of peaceful coexistence.

The former prime minister claimed that China and US have not released an official statement on his view on Indo-Pacific Strategy and his view was misinterpreted.

“The view expressed by me regarding the Indo-Pacific Strategy has not been included in the statement issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry. It has been included by a news agency. Neither US Ambassador nor United States Department of State has come up with any objection. It was said only by an employee working there. Neither China nor the US has said anything officially,” he claimed at a press meet.

He claimed that he told Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi that Nepal disowns any policy or strategy targeted at any nation in general and a neighboring country in particular.

A statement issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry Tuesday had quoted Dahal saying to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang that Nepal disapproved the Indo-Pacific Strategy unveiled by the United States.

Following which, the US Embassy in Kathmandu had sought clarification from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.