KATHMANDU: Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal has expressed Nepal’s gratitude for China’s continued support and reaffirmed the country’s commitment to strengthening bilateral relations with its northern neighbour.
In an interview with Global Times in Beijing on Tuesday, Khanal said connectivity and infrastructure development remain Nepal’s top priorities for cooperation with China.
The foreign minister is on an official visit to China from Sunday to Wednesday. His trip comes shortly after a visit to India, prompting observers to view it as an effort to maintain Nepal’s diplomatic balance between its two neighbours.
Responding to questions on the matter, Khanal said Nepal’s priority is to maintain balanced relations with both China and India, describing the two countries as important partners.
“My visit conveys how much importance we attach to both countries. We want to make our existing relations stronger, better and deeper than before,” he said.
Khanal noted that Nepal has maintained exchanges with both China and India for thousands of years, adding that the country’s ties with the two ancient civilizations are rooted in long-standing cultural and historical connections.
He said Nepal and China, as close neighbours linked by mountains and rivers, have been cooperating in a wide range of sectors. China has continuously supported Nepal in community development, health, education, infrastructure construction, rural development and bilateral trade, he added.
Stressing Nepal’s aspiration for rapid economic growth, Khanal said future cooperation with China would primarily focus on connectivity, infrastructure development, science and technology.
He said Nepal has long sought to overcome the limitations of being a landlocked country through expanded cross-border connectivity.
Highlighting the Trans-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Connectivity Network, Khanal emphasized the importance of advancing major infrastructure projects, including cross-border railways, highways and power transmission lines. Such projects, he said, would help transform Nepal from a landlocked nation into a land-linked country.
Referring to the recently approved Chilime-Kerung Cross-Border Transmission Line Project, Khanal said Nepal is preparing to send a response letter to China, paving the way for further technical studies.
He said a Chinese technical team would conduct a detailed feasibility study before both sides make final decisions regarding the route and construction plan. Given the challenging Himalayan terrain, no definite timeline has yet been established for the project, though preliminary work is moving forward.
Khanal further revealed that China has completed the feasibility study of the proposed cross-border railway project and Nepal expects to receive the full report by the end of June. Future work on border infrastructure, freight corridors and capacity enhancement will be guided by the findings of the report.
According to the minister, improved connectivity will bring both economic and people-to-people benefits. As China is Nepal’s second-largest trading partner, enhanced transport links could help increase exports of Nepali products, reduce the existing trade deficit and boost overall bilateral trade.
He also said improved transportation networks would facilitate greater interaction between citizens of the two countries, strengthening mutual understanding and cultural exchanges.
“The primary objective of these connectivity projects is to build a stronger relationship with China,” Khanal said.
On the occasion of the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on July 1, the minister extended his congratulations and praised China’s development achievements.
“Under the leadership of the CPC, China has achieved remarkable progress. We want to learn from China’s experience in rapid economic growth. We have seen nearly one billion people lifted out of poverty within a short period, and that is also Nepal’s aspiration,” he said.
Khanal added that Nepal aims to become a respectable middle-income country within the next decade and is eager to work closely with China to achieve that goal.
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