Hari Lamichhane 

Beijing, June 22 (RSS): Both Nepali and Chinese sides have agreed to intensify implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative to enhance connectivity.

The initiative encompasses vital components such as ports, roads, railways, aviation and communications within the overarching framework of trans-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Connectivity Network.

The two sides also agreed to take practical measures to promote cooperation in all fields contained in the MOU, reads the 14-point Nepal-China joint statement which was released after exchanging the letter of cooperation in course of six-day official visit of Nepal’s Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to China.

The Nepali side conveyed its readiness to facilitate more Chinese investment in infrastructure building and in other productive sectors.

In this regard, the Nepali side expressed its willingness to welcome further investment from Chinese enterprises create a favourable investment climate and business environment for Chinese enterprises, reads the joint statement.

“Both Nepal and China expressed satisfaction over remarkable achievements made in various areas of cooperation since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 1955, and believed that the bilateral relationship maintained the momentum of healthy development on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, which sets a model of harmonious coexistence between countries of different size and social system”.

During the visit, Prime Minister Oli called on Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China, held official level talks with Premier Li Keqiang and met with Li Zhanshu, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China.

Leaders of the two countries reached broad understanding through in-depth exchange of views on further cementing traditional friendship and deepening cooperation for mutual benefit, the statement notes.

On the occasion, the Chinese side congratulated Nepal and her people on the historic and epoch-making political transformation and beginning of a new era of political stability and economic development. 

It expressed happiness over the successful holding of elections to three tiers of the federal setup and the formation of governments at all three levels. 

It also expressed confidence that the government under the leadership of Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli would be able to realize the goal of “Samriddha Nepal, Sukhi Nepali” (‘Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali’) and achieve political stability, social harmony and economic prosperity for the people of Nepal. 

The Chinese side expressed its full commitment to assist Nepal in realizing its development goals within its capacity.

The two sides reiterated their firm commitment to respect each other’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and respect and accommodate each other’s concerns and interests.

The Nepali side reiterated its firm commitment to the one-China policy with Tibet and Taiwan affairs as being China’s internal affairs, and the determination on not allowing any anti-China activities on its soil. The Chinese side reiterated its firm support to Nepal’s independent choice of its social system and development path, and the efforts made by Nepal in upholding its sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, national unity and stability.

Both sides believed that high-level contacts are of special importance to the development of bilateral relations.

“The two sides agreed to maintain the momentum of high-level mutual visits, and to have meetings between the leaders on bilateral and multilateral occasions to share views on issues of common interest”
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