KATHMANDU: Dr. Yuba Raj Khatiwada, Economic and Development Advisor to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, has clarified that Nepal did not support China’s Global Security Initiatives (GSI) during bilateral talks between PM Oli and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Speaking to Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS), Dr. Khatiwada, who participated in the discussions, said Nepal, committed to its constitution and non-aligned foreign policy, will not become part of any country’s security strategy.
The bilateral meeting took place in Tianjin, China, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Plus Summit. Following the meeting, Chinese media and official releases suggested Nepal had endorsed GSI, prompting Dr. Khatiwada to clarify the country’s stance.
“This visit primarily concerns the SCO Plus Summit,” Dr. Khatiwada said. “Typically, side-line discussions at such summits do not involve signing agreements or reaching formal consensus, and no such agreement on GSI was made. It is incorrect to claim that Nepal has taken a position supporting GSI.”
He further explained that the talks focused on the implementation of previous frameworks and agreements, including China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), along with discussions on priority areas for bilateral cooperation.
Dr. Khatiwada urged media and social media commentators to verify facts before making claims regarding Nepal’s stance on GSI. He added that discussions also covered expanding connectivity, industrial and infrastructure development, health cooperation, agriculture, trade, tourism, investment, science and technology, sports, disaster management, people-to-people relations, and poverty alleviation.
Highlighting China’s willingness to support Nepal’s socio-economic transformation, Dr. Khatiwada recalled that during PM Oli’s previous official visit in November 2024, agreements were signed in the presence of Chinese Premier Li Qiang on the Tokha-Chhahare tunnel project, boosting Nepal-China trade, and exporting buffalo meat to China.
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