No progress at BRI projects: FM Saud

 Kathmandu, July 13

Minister for Foreign Affairs, NP Saud, said on Thursday that no projects under the Belt and Road Project (BRI), a regional project promoted by China, have been able to proceed so far.

Stating that although Chinese Ambassador to Nepal, Chen Song, claimed that the Pokhara International Airport was built as a BRI project, FM Saud informed about the lack of process in implementing the initiative.

An agreement on BRI was signed between Nepal and China in 2017. However, no decision has been made on how to move ahead with any of the BRI projects, FM Saud said while addressing the National Assembly session on Thursday.

However, he said that the feasibility studies of the Kerung-Kathmandu railway and cross-border transmission lines are underway.

The two countries have signed an agreement to conduct feasibility for the two project during the visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in March 2022.

Likewise, in December last year, a team of Chinese experts visited Nepal to conduct the feasibility study and survey of the cross-border railway. Earlier, the Chinese had said that it would pursue ‘high-quality Belt and Road Cooperation’ with Nepal and inject new impetus into the strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Minister informed that the implementation of the BRI with China in 2017 is being discussed. 

 Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 14 July 2023.