The first ever bilateral meeting of the Nepal-China Joint Implementation Mechanism on energy cooperation was held on Friday, where both sides agreed to facilitate joint investments in the power sector of both the countries. During the meeting, both the sides presented their respective country’s power system scenario, investment prospects, power markets and future plans to make each other familiar with their respective energy sectors.

The meeting also deliberated on possible energy collaboration between the two parties as well as on developing a cross border interconnection, according to a joint press statement released after the meeting. Both the parties agreed to form a Nepal-China energy cooperation plan which will work as a road map for both the countries.

Energy Secretary Anup Kumar Upadhyay led the Nepali team in the meeting, while the Chinese delegation was led by He Yang, deputy director general of National Energy Administration of China. The mechanism was established to promote collaboration between Nepal and China and implement the energy cooperation agreement signed with China during Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s visit to the northern neighbour in June.

After Prime Minsiter Oli’s visit, the Minister of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation formed a seven-member team under the leadership of Energy Secretary Upadhyay to represent Nepal in the joint mechanism, which invited Chinese officials to Kathmandu for the meeting.