dpa
Kathmandu
Nepal and China failed to make any significant progress in resolving their long-standing differences over large infrastructure projects under China’s flagship Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) following a visit by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
Wang left Kathmandu on Sunday after concluding a three-day visit to the Himalayan nation. Nepal did not mention the BRI in a press statement released after a nine-point agreement on other matters was signed between two countries on Saturday, although Chinese media reported it was part of the talks. The Kathmandu Post reported that there was no consensus on BRI-related projects after Nepali officials insisted Nepal be given a mix of grant assistance and low interest loans. Nepal signed up to the BRI Framework Agreement in May 2017 but not a single project has kicked off due to outstanding differences.
The nine-point agreement signed in presence of Wang and his Nepali counterpart Narayan Khadka include an agreement on economic and technical cooperation as well as assistance on a feasibility study of cross-border rail link between the two neighbours, which share a 1,389-kilometre border along the Himalayas. During his visit, Wang met President Bidya Devi Bhandari, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and leaders of major political parties. His trip comes weeks after Nepal’s parliament approved a $500 million infrastructure grant from the United States as a part of the Millennium Challenge Corporation.
Earlier in New Delhi on Friday during Wang Yi’s multi-nation tour, the India-China military stand-off that has soured bilateral ties, and the geopolitical situation arising from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine dominated the talks.
Kathmandu
Nepal and China failed to make any significant progress in resolving their long-standing differences over large infrastructure projects under China’s flagship Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) following a visit by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
Wang left Kathmandu on Sunday after concluding a three-day visit to the Himalayan nation. Nepal did not mention the BRI in a press statement released after a nine-point agreement on other matters was signed between two countries on Saturday, although Chinese media reported it was part of the talks. The Kathmandu Post reported that there was no consensus on BRI-related projects after Nepali officials insisted Nepal be given a mix of grant assistance and low interest loans. Nepal signed up to the BRI Framework Agreement in May 2017 but not a single project has kicked off due to outstanding differences.
The nine-point agreement signed in presence of Wang and his Nepali counterpart Narayan Khadka include an agreement on economic and technical cooperation as well as assistance on a feasibility study of cross-border rail link between the two neighbours, which share a 1,389-kilometre border along the Himalayas. During his visit, Wang met President Bidya Devi Bhandari, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and leaders of major political parties. His trip comes weeks after Nepal’s parliament approved a $500 million infrastructure grant from the United States as a part of the Millennium Challenge Corporation.
Earlier in New Delhi on Friday during Wang Yi’s multi-nation tour, the India-China military stand-off that has soured bilateral ties, and the geopolitical situation arising from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine dominated the talks.