President Xi returns

Kathmandu, Oct. 13

President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping returned to Beijing on Sunday after concluding his two-day state visit to Nepal. 


President Bidya Devi Bhandari, with Prime Minister Oli and other dignitaries, bid farewell to the Chinese President at the Tribhuvan International Airport. 


A large number of people appeared on the road to bid farewell to the high level Chinese guest. 


President Xi held a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli in the morning and deliberated on bilateral relationship and regional and international issues of common concern. They observed the signing of various 20 Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs), agreements and letter of exchanges and a 20-point joint statement was issued afterwards.


Chairman of Nepal Communist Party (NCP) and former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda called on the visiting Chinese President at Soaltee Hotel where they hold about half an hour-long meeting. 


Prachanda said that Nepal felt proud for having a neighbour like China and expressed commitment to exchange experiences and take the bilateral relations to the newer heights. 


Prachanda said that the bilateral relationship between Nepal and China witnessed an advent of new era following the signing of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). He maintained that both the countries must set deadline to select and execute projects so that the people of both nations could benefit by them. 


In response, President Xi stressed on developing common programme in order to exchange experiences of both the parties. He reiterated his commitment to support Nepal in achieving the national aspiration of ‘Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali’. 


President Xi emphasised on economic development and said, “A political party and government can win the hearts of people only through the economic development in the country.” He also told Prachanda that for a communist party, its principles are of prime importance. 


President Xi also held a meeting with the secretariat leaders of the ruling Nepal Communist Party on Sunday. 


Earlier, Xi held meeting with Sher Bahadur Deuba, president of the main opposition party Nepali Congress on Saturday evening where the two leaders talked about economic and political exchanges and bilateral support in national and international issues. 


The two head of the states - Xi and Bhandari, in a meeting held the other day, agreed to develop friendship and partnership that would help in development and prosperity for many generations to come. 


President Xi maintained that China would expedite the development of Trans-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Connectivity Infrastructure, and said that the northern neighbour wanted to support Nepal in realising its dream to become a land-linked country from the landlocked country.

Agreements and MoUs signed during Xi’s visit

1.      Agreement on Boundary Management System

2.      Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters

3.      MoU on Exchanges and Cooperation on Governance Capacity Building

4.      MoU on Sagarmatha Protection Cooperation

5.      MoU on Promoting Key Projects of Investment and Cooperation on Productive Capacity

6.      Exchange of Note for Setting up a Consulate General of Nepal in Chengdu

7.      MoU on Feasibility Study of China-Nepal Cross-Border Railway Project

8.      Agreement on the Establishment of Sister-City Relationship between Kathmandu and Nanjing

9.      Agreement on Sister-City Relationship between Butwal and Xi’an

10.  MoU on Cooperation on Traditional Medicine

11.  MoU on Cooperation in Disaster Risk Reduction and Emergency Response

12.  MoU on Cooperation between Chinese Supreme People’s Procurator and Nepal’s Office of the Attorney General

13.  Agreement on the Establishment of Confucius Institute at the Tribhuvan University

14.  Protocol of Phytosanitary Requirements for the Export of Citrus Fruits from Nepal to China

15.  MoU on the Establishment of Joint Working Group on Trade.

16.  Certificate for China Aid Earthquake Monitoring Network Project in Nepal

17.  MoU on the Establishment of Investment Cooperation Working Group

18.  MoU on Tunnels Construction Cooperation

19.  Exchange of Letter for Border Security Equipment and Office Equipment

20.  Minutes of Meeting for Feasibility Investigation of China Aid Municipal Water Supply Improvement Project in Kathmandu

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 14 October 2019.