Likely to discuss revival of stalled BRI projects
BEIJING: Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli will travel to China on Monday on a four-day visit during which the two sides were expected to discuss a new plan to revive the BRI projects, which failed to materialise even after seven years they were signed with much fanfare.
Oli will pay an official visit to China from December 2-5, during which Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet him. Premier Li Qiang and other officials will hold talks with him, Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning said here on Friday.
“Oli has visited China twice as Nepal’s Prime Minister and made important contributions to advancing the growth of China-Nepal relations,” Mao said, acknowledging his efforts to forge closer ties with Beijing, including signing a transit treaty to reduce dependence on India for his landlocked country.
“The two countries’ leaders will have in-depth exchanges of views on deepening our traditional friendship, expanding Belt and Road cooperation and exchanges and cooperation in various fields, as well as international and regional issues of mutual interest,” she said.
Oli, regarded as a pro-China leader, heads a coalition government consisting of his Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) and the Nepali Congress, which seeks balanced ties with China and India.
Oli will be breaking with the usual practice of Nepali prime ministers making India their first destination in the neighbourhood after assuming charge, amid media reports that he did not get an invitation from New Delhi.
It is to be seen whether the two sides will decide on going ahead with the Railway project connecting the two countries through the Himalayan mountains which was estimated to cost over USD three billion considering Nepal’s decision to take loans from China.
China funded the feasibility study but wants Nepal to share the costs.
Ahead of his visit, Oli said he will not seek Chinese loans amid concerns about a debt trap and added that Kathmandu will seek grants instead.
Foreign Minister Deuba visited China last week and held extensive talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in the Chinese city of Chengdu, sharing Nepal’s perspective on the revival of the BRI projects.
After she met with Wang, she returned to Kathmandu to brief Oli and will accompany him during his visit.
PTI