China has pledged to carry out the feasibility study for Keyrung-Kathmandu Railway under grant assistance.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the announcement during the meeting with his Nepali counterpart Narayan Khadka in Qingdao Wednesday evening.
He also assured support for pre-feasibility study of Nepal-China cross border transmission line as agreed during his official visit to Nepal in March 2022, according to a press release issued by the Nepali Embassy in China.
The two foreign ministers led their respective delegations during the bilateral talks.
Wang Yi also announced that China will provide 800 million RMB (over Rs 15 billion) to Nepal for the year 2022.
"The two foreign ministers took stock of overall aspects of Nepal-China relations and cooperation and agreed to promote further cooperation in various sectors including trade, connectivity, investment, health, tourism, poverty alleviation, agriculture, disaster management, education, culture, and people-to-people exchanges, among others," the statement reads.
The two sides agreed to form a bilateral technical committee to do necessary preparation toward the functioning of existing mechanism of Nepal-China Joint Boundary Inspection Committee.
The two foreign ministers also exchanged views on continuing cooperation in various regional and multilateral forums on matters of mutual interests.
Khadka reiterated Nepal’s unwavering commitment to One China Policy amidst the tensions in the Taiwan Strait and assured that the Nepali territory will not be allowed to be used for any activity against China.
Wang Yi, on the other hand, reiterated China’s continued and unconditional support to Nepal’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity and assured to support in Nepal’s development endeavors as per the priority of the Government of Nepal, according to the press release.
The two foreign ministers also expressed their commitment for the timely implementation of the agreements signed and understandings reached during high-level visits in the past. They agreed to expedite the implementation of China-assisted projects in Nepal.
The Chinese side assured the Nepali delegation that China will soon start the construction works of the second phase of Kathmandu Ring Road Improvement Project. The Chinese side, on the request of the Nepali side, also assured that it will positively consider providing chemical fertilizer to Nepal and to study the feasibility of establishing a chemical fertilizer factory in Nepal.
The two foreign ministers also agreed to open Rasuwa-Keyrung and Tatopani-Jangmu ports for two-way trade and Hilsa-Pulang port for one way trade which will take place as soon as the fresh wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Tibet Autonomous Region of China is controlled.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of China also announced that all the remaining Nepali students who wish to return to China can proceed for visa procedures, while fulfilling the health protocols, to resume their studies.
