Xinhua, Kathmandu :
Nepal and China began a new era in 2016 as the two countries witnessed major developments in their bilateral relationship, diplomats said here recently.
As many as ten landmark agreements spanning transit, trade, commerce, energy, cross-border connectivity and cooperation on physical infrastructure developments were signed between the two governments in 2016, elevating the age-old bilateral ties to a new level, the diplomats said.
The visit of Nepalese Prime Minister K.P Sharma Oli to Beijing in March this year was highly successful as the two sides concluded the Transit Transport Agreement that gave the landlocked Himalayan nation access to the sea from China.
These agreements came on the heels of a trade embargo on Nepal imposed by India that brought Nepal’s trade and transit to a near-standstill until earlier this year, just six months after the promulgation of the much-awaited new constitution in September 2015.
“These milestone bilateral accords need to be implemented sincerely by the current Dahal-led government and future governments for the good of the country’s long-term interests,” Tanka Karki, a Nepalese Former Ambassador to China, told Xinhua.
On a pessimistic note, Karki expressed fear that these Nepal-China agreements may gather dust due to “unwarranted external pressure,” especially from their southern neighbor India.
Another significant development during Oli’s visit to China was that the two countries agreed to enhance cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative introduced by the Chinese leadership.
“Regarding Nepal-China bilateral cooperation, both sides agreed to synergize each other’s development planning, formulate appropriate bilateral cooperation programs and to carry out major projects under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative,” part of a joint communique issued during the former prime minister’s visit to China stated.
“Both sides agreed to strengthen connectivity, further step up the land and air links and improve the land transport infrastructure,” the communique stated.
Nepal and China began a new era in 2016 as the two countries witnessed major developments in their bilateral relationship, diplomats said here recently.
As many as ten landmark agreements spanning transit, trade, commerce, energy, cross-border connectivity and cooperation on physical infrastructure developments were signed between the two governments in 2016, elevating the age-old bilateral ties to a new level, the diplomats said.
The visit of Nepalese Prime Minister K.P Sharma Oli to Beijing in March this year was highly successful as the two sides concluded the Transit Transport Agreement that gave the landlocked Himalayan nation access to the sea from China.
These agreements came on the heels of a trade embargo on Nepal imposed by India that brought Nepal’s trade and transit to a near-standstill until earlier this year, just six months after the promulgation of the much-awaited new constitution in September 2015.
“These milestone bilateral accords need to be implemented sincerely by the current Dahal-led government and future governments for the good of the country’s long-term interests,” Tanka Karki, a Nepalese Former Ambassador to China, told Xinhua.
On a pessimistic note, Karki expressed fear that these Nepal-China agreements may gather dust due to “unwarranted external pressure,” especially from their southern neighbor India.
Another significant development during Oli’s visit to China was that the two countries agreed to enhance cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative introduced by the Chinese leadership.
“Regarding Nepal-China bilateral cooperation, both sides agreed to synergize each other’s development planning, formulate appropriate bilateral cooperation programs and to carry out major projects under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative,” part of a joint communique issued during the former prime minister’s visit to China stated.
“Both sides agreed to strengthen connectivity, further step up the land and air links and improve the land transport infrastructure,” the communique stated.
