Prime Minister and CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba have approved the draft of the framework on Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) cooperation.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has prepared two drafts of the joint statement to be issued during PM Oli’s four-day official China visit, which begins Monday.
According to a source at the Foreign Ministry, two joint statements have been drafted in view of two possible scenarios – the framework on BRI cooperation is signed, or it is not signed.
The source said that the two drafts have been prepared as there could be differences on the framework during discussion.
However, a source close to PM Oli said Nepal is confident that China will sign the framework as it was drafted in collaboration with China.
“Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba has also brought a positive message on her return from China visit, the prime minister has briefed that China is flexible on the framework,” the Foreign Ministry source said. “So there’s high possibility that the framework on BRI cooperation will be signed.”
Nepal had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on BRI in 2017. Nepal and China were expected to sign the BRI Implementation Plan after that, but it has not happened yet.
After PM Oli’s China visit was finalized, a taskforce was formed to discuss the modality of the BRI implementation plan The task force comprised the prime minister’s chief advisor Bishnu Rimal, economic and development advisor Yuba Raj Khatiwada, NC General Secretary Gagan Thapa, and advocate Semanta Dahal.
The task force made changes to the implementation plan and changed its name to Framework on BRI Cooperation.
The draft of the framework has been sent to China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but China has yet to respond to it.
