BEIJING: The Chairman of China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee Li Zhanshu paid an official goodwill visit to Nepal from Monday to Thursday.
During the visit, Li met with Nepalese President Bidya Devi Bhandari and Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, and held talks with Speaker of Nepal’s House of Representatives Agni Sapkota and Chairman of National Assembly of Nepal Ganesh Prasad Timilsina, separately.
While meeting with Bhandari, Li thanked the Nepalese side for adhering to the one-China principle, and supporting China’s position on the Taiwan question and issues concerning Tibet, Xinjiang and human rights.
China will continue to firmly support Nepal’s efforts to safeguard its sovereign independence and territorial integrity, to achieve prosperity and strength, Li said.
He welcomed the Nepalese side to actively participate in the Global Development Initiative and Global Security Initiative put forward by President Xi Jinping in September 2021 and in April 2022 respectively.
China has always been Nepal’s most reliable good friend and partner, Bhandari said, expressing gratitude to China for its selfless help to Nepal in economic and social development, earthquake rescue and relief, and the fight against COVID-19 pandemic.
Bhandari expressed hope that Nepal and China will strengthen practical cooperation in various fields and push forward the implementation of important projects.
When meeting with Prime Minister Deuba, Li said China has always regarded Nepal as a priority in neighborhood diplomacy. The two sides should continue to understand and support each other on issues concerning each other’s core interests and major concerns, and jointly uphold true multilateralism.
Li also called for advancing high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, strengthening exchanges and cooperation in trade and investment, infrastructure, customs clearance and other areas, and jointly building the Trans-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Connectivity Network to bring tangible benefits to the people of both countries.
For his part, Deuba said both Nepal and China uphold the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, and that bilateral ties have enjoyed a solid political foundation. Nepal’s development transformation needs China’s support and help, he added. During the visit, Li also signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the NPC of China and Nepal’s House of Representatives with Speaker of Nepal’s House of Representatives Sapkota, met with Nepalese Foreign Minister Narayan Khadka and visited the Bhaktapur Durbar Square, which is undergoing post-quake reconstruction.
–The Daily Mail-CGTN news exchange item
