KATHMANDU: Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal has called for Nepal-China relations to move beyond traditional border management and develop into a strategic partnership centered on environmental cooperation, climate security, technology, trade and infrastructure development.
Speaking at a programme titled “Nepal-China Relations: Expanded Dimensions of Cooperation” organized under the Kashtamandap Dialogue series by the Foundation for Peace, Development and Socialism, Khanal said the recent Bhote Koshi flood demonstrated that the Nepal-China border is not merely a political boundary but also a region where the two countries share a common ecological destiny.
Describing the Bhote Koshi flood of August 26 as a “Himalayan tsunami,” Khanal expressed gratitude to the Chinese government for providing emergency and technical assistance and supporting hydrological coordination during post-disaster rescue efforts.
“Geography does not only draw a political boundary between Nepal and China; it connects our common destiny,” Khanal said.
He stressed that the Himalayas should no longer be viewed as barriers separating the two countries but as shared ecological heritage requiring joint conservation. With climate change and environmental risks intensifying, he said environmental resilience and climate security should form the foundation of future Nepal-China cooperation.
Khanal proposed establishing mechanisms for real-time satellite data sharing, joint weather forecasting and early warning systems to help reduce transboundary risks such as glacial lake outburst floods, erratic weather and landslides.
“The Himalayas should not be seen as barriers that separate us, but as common refuges that require collective protection,” he said.
Highlighting the centuries-old civilizational ties between Nepal and China, Khanal said bilateral relations since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1955 have been guided by the five principles of peaceful coexistence, sovereign equality, mutual trust and non-interference in each other’s internal affairs.
He reaffirmed Nepal’s firm commitment to the One China policy and reiterated that Nepal would not allow its territory to be used for activities against neighboring countries.
Khanal said the current government has prioritized good governance, addressing systemic weaknesses, social justice and inclusive prosperity following the general election. He added that Nepal’s foreign policy should serve as an external foundation for economic prosperity, with the concept of “Thick Connectivity and Thin Borders” being advanced through economic diplomacy.
The Foreign Minister also emphasized the need to modernize customs infrastructure along the northern border, develop high-altitude border ports as year-round commercial hubs, and rebuild roads, bridges and cross-border infrastructure capable of withstanding floods, landslides and other environmental hazards.
He said Nepal could draw lessons from China’s achievements in poverty reduction, rural revitalization and agricultural modernization. China, he added, has also emerged as a major global force in green technology, robotics and generative artificial intelligence.
Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Zhang Maoming said Nepal and China share the Himalayan ecosystem and should work together to address the growing challenges posed by climate change. Expressing concern over the damage caused by the recent floods, he highlighted China’s support for Nepal’s disaster response.
Ambassador Zhang said the Chinese government had sent five consignments of relief materials to Nepal following the disaster, including drones, Bailey bridges, DNA testing equipment and rescue boats. China has also deployed 24 experts specializing in tunnel rescue, DNA identification and forensic identification, he said.
Comment