By TON Nepal

On Monday, Nepal and China agreed to improve cooperation on manifold fronts under the Belt and Road Initiatives (BRI) structure. The six-point agreement emphasized cooperation on governance, legislative and managerial practices. The understanding was reached between Speaker and visiting head of the Standing Committee of the Chinese National People’s Congress after high delegation-level talks in the parliament building.

Earlier, the Chinese National People’s Congress had arrived in Kathmandu on an official visit at the invitation of Nepal’s speaker and landed in Kathmandu leading with a 67-member delegation came to Nepal after completing visits to Russia and Mongolia.

The two sides, read the declaration to give importance to exchange of information related to each other's legislative, supervisory and governance practices. The two sides reiterated to work to gain common advantage by snowballing mutual relationship between the two countries, including through the BRI. Nepal and China signed up the BRI in 2017 May.

Nepal’s speaker was accompanied by chief whips and whips of political parties represented in parliament and members of the Nepal-China Parliamentary Forum. Later in the evening, the Chinese delegation participated in a dinner hosted by the Speaker in honor of the visiting Chinese delegation. In the dinner were Prime Minister, and top leaders of the major parties were present.

On Tuesday, the second day of his visit, the head of People’s Congress called on the Chairman of the National Assembly Ganesh Timilsina at the parliament building following meetings with CPN-UML Chairman and, chairman of the CPN (Maoist Centre).

Later on Tuesday, Nepal’s Foreign Minister will call on the head of People’s Congress, the Communist Party of China at Hotel Soaltee. He will then meet Prime Minister again to discuss the strengthening of bilateral ties between Nepal and China.

On Wednesday, the Chinese delegation will see President, and visit Bhaktapur Durbar Square. On Thursday delegation will leave for South Korea after rounding up the Nepal trip. It is the third high-level visit by the head of People’s Congress, the Communist Party of China after the formation of the incumbent government in July last year.

The two sides have agreed to develop and build Nepal-China cross border railway under the BRI framework. During the meeting, the two sides have also agreed to advance strengthen inter-parliamentary exchanges and collaboration. The Chinese National People’s Congress had also extended best wishes for the achievement of forthcoming elections to the Federal Parliament and provincial assemblies in Nepal.

The two sides also underlined the role of the Parliamentary Friendship Group in each other’s parliament to encouraging goodwill and understanding between the two legislatures. At the meeting, the Chinese National People’s Congress vowed to help the Nepali parliament at the institutional level, as per its required by the Nepal. The two dignitaries also exchanged opinions on the prominence of implementing connectivity infrastructure, including under the BRI.

During the talks, the Nepal’s Speaker and visiting head of the Standing Committee of the Chinese National People’s Congress while conveying pleasure over the excellent state of two-sided relations and collaboration existing between Nepal and China, also discussed manifold issues of common interests.

Nepal’s speaker repeated Nepal’s commitment to One-China policy to block any anti-China activities on Nepali soil. The head of People’s Congress, the Communist Party of China for his part expressed China’s constant support for Nepal's sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity.

According to the agreement, the two sides have decided to reinforce and develop shared trust, respect each other's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, respect each other's freely chosen social system and development path, and support each other's core interests and important concerns.

The two-sides vowed to improve the inter-parliamentary exchanges and cooperation at all levels through multilateral means to expand the bilateral relations between the two nations and peoples and contribute for the bilateral cooperation.

The two-sides stated to give priority to high-level visits and exchange of contacts between the Legislature of Nepal and the People's Republic of China, reads the agreement. Both sides wish to inspire and support parliamentary friendly groups to enhance their participation and play a vigorous role in promoting harmony and understanding between the two legislatures.

The last point of the agreement said to enhance the collaboration under the framework of international and regional parliamentary organizations including the Inter-Parliamentary Union on matters of common interest.

On Monday, the two sides reiterated the agreement signed during the 2019 Nepal visit of Chinese President when bilateral relations were elevated from ‘comprehensive’ to ‘strategic’ partnership. While signing the new agreement, the two sides also reaffirmed their commitment to the BRI, with each side coming to the belief that close inter-parliamentary exchanges are vital to taking the initiative forward. Besides signing the agreement, Nepal’s Speaker and visiting head of the Standing Committee of the Chinese National People’s Congress also deliberated numerous matters of common interest.

Nepal’s Speaker valued the people and government of China for their help and cooperation in Nepal’s development effort and expressed hope for an improved level of support from China for Nepal’s post-pandemic recovery and other development priorities. He added that the people and government of Nepal are thankful to the Chinese Government for giving Nepal with a substantial amount of medical supplies, equipment and Covid vaccines.

Nepal’s ensured his firm commitment to One-China policy. In the meantime, the Nepal’s speaker requested the Chinese National People’s Congress to help the up-gradation of Araniko Highway that attaches Nepal and China and sought China’s support for reopening the two main trading border points at the earliest.

The Chinese side guaranteed that it will clear all containers destined for Nepal as soon as possible. As China has for long been helping Nepal in different areas and now that it has become more economically powerful, the country expects much more from China.

In response, the Chinese National People’s Congress expressed China’s promise to taking forward the feasibility study of Kerung-Kathmandu rail and to recommence the trading points before the Nepali festival season.

The head of People’s Congress, the Communist Party of China visit comes ahead of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China which is set to give another term extension to incumbent Chinese President, and Nepal’s federal and provincial elections scheduled for November 20 which may be a another millstone for both the countries.