Kathmandu, Nov. 29
State Councilor and
Defense Minister of China General Wei Fenghe has emphasised the timely
execution of agreements and protocols signed by the two countries in the past.
During his call on
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli at the latter’s residence in Baluwatar, he said
that his visit was aimed at implementing the bilateral agreements made by the
head of states and head of the governments of the two neighbours in the past.
Earlier speaking after
his welcome by Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa at the Tribhuvan International
Airport on Sunday morning, he had said that his visit also had the objective of
enhancing the bilateral military assistance and strengthening the relations
between the two countries.
PM Oli, who also holds
the portfolio of Defense Minister, said to the visiting guest that Nepal
accorded high importance to its relations with the northern neighbour and
expressed commitment to implement various agreements and consensuses made in the
past.
Nepal and China have
signed agreement and understandings on developing cross-border connectivity
including railways, railways, transmission lines, petroleum pipelines and
information network, implementing Trade and Transit Agreement and its Protocol,
conducting feasibility study for the Keyrung-Kathmandu Railway and
Kathmandu-Pokhara-Lumbini Railway projects.
China has allowed Nepal
to use its seven different ports to increase Nepal’s access to third country
markets but lack of cross-border transport infrastructure had become a major
hurdle in utilising this facility.
China has pledged to
develop cross-border connectivity as well as trade infrastructure at
Rasuwagadhi and Tatopani border points with China. It has agreed to upgrade the
quake-damaged Arniko Highway and newly built Rasuwagadhi-Syaphrubensi road.
General Wei called on
President Bidya Devi Bhandari on Sunday afternoon and discussed the issues of
mutual interest.
Wai had arrived at the
TIA at 10:45 on Sunday leading a 21-member delegation for a one-day ‘working
visit’. It is the highest-level visit from the north after the visit of Chinese
President Xi Jinping in October last year.
Wei was welcomed by Minister
Thapa, Secretary of the Home Ministry Reshmi Raj Pandey, Lieutenant General of
Nepal Army Prabhu Ram Sharma, Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Hou Yanqi, Joint
Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Kali Prasad Pokharel and other
dignitaries.
He paid an office call
on to Chief of Army Staff General Purna Chandra Thapa following a guard of
honour by the army at its headquarters. The two sides discussed about various
issues of bilateral interest including resumption of training and student
exchange programme and follow up on defense assistance that have been impacted
due to the COVID-19 pandemic, said the NA in a statement.
“General Wei and the delegation viewed both
the proposals positively and affirmed that the bilateral cooperation should
resume as soon as possible, including exchange of high level visits. General
Wei also pledged to provide additional assistance to the Nepali Army in
fighting the Covid-19 pandemic,” read the statement.
Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 30 November 2020.
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