KATHMANDU: Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal has said economic diplomacy has become the central focus of Nepal’s foreign policy, with the aim of improving citizens’ living standards and creating opportunities in trade, investment, employment, entrepreneurship, tourism, technology, innovation and sustainable development.
Addressing an international conference titled “China and South Asia in a Multipolar World: China-India-Nepal Trilateral Relations in an Evolving Regional Order” held in Lalitpur on Friday, Minister Khanal said Nepal can play the role of a dynamic bridge to expand economic, trade and people-to-people cooperation between China and South Asia.
According to the Foreign Minister’s Secretariat, Khanal said Nepal maintains its relations with both neighbours based on sovereign equality, mutual respect, shared interests and sensitivity toward each other’s concerns.
He said Asia’s rapid economic transformation has created unprecedented opportunities for shared prosperity, adding that cooperation remains the most reliable path toward sustainable development and long-term economic progress.
“Economic diplomacy has become a central priority of our foreign policy. Nepal is ready to cooperate with all friendly nations for sustainable, inclusive and resilient development,” Khanal said.
The minister said the economic progress of China and India has created new opportunities for neighbouring countries, including Nepal, in areas such as trade expansion, investment attraction, infrastructure development, connectivity, tourism promotion and broader economic cooperation.
Highlighting the potential for economic growth in South Asia, Khanal said the region has not achieved the level of economic integration it could have. He added that strengthening connectivity, facilitating trade, improving investment flows and developing supply chains could help the region achieve prosperity.
“The success of our cooperation should not be measured by how many agreements we sign, but by how many opportunities we create for our citizens,” he said.
Khanal said the government has prioritised economic transformation by focusing on quality investment, infrastructure development, export promotion, tourism, clean energy, digital transformation, innovation and private sector growth.
He said Nepal views the development of China and India as an opportunity for its own economic advancement and aims to transform the country from a landlocked state into a dynamic bridge connecting China and South Asia.
The minister also highlighted Nepal’s soft power, including the birthplace of Lord Buddha, the spiritual legacy of Guru Padmasambhava, Mount Everest and several UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
He stressed the need to further strengthen regional cooperation, energy security, climate action, digital transformation, research, innovation and people-to-people relations. He also called for stronger collaboration among universities, research institutions and academic communities.
Emphasising the need to build partnerships based on trust, mutual respect and shared interests in a multipolar world, Khanal said Nepal remains committed to playing a constructive and positive role in that direction.
The conference was jointly organised by the Nepal Institute for International Cooperation and Engagement and the South Asia Studies Centre of Fudan University.
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