Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Narayan Kaji Shrestha, who is leaving for a nine-day China visit on Sunday evening, held consultations with senior officials from various ministries on Saturday. He sought details of the China-funded projects, their implementation status and inquired if any new project needs to be taken up during his meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi.

Shrestha is meeting a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang on Tuesday and will discuss various aspects of Nepal-China ties in Kathmandu’s changed political context. They will also focus on implementing past agreements and accords signed between Nepal and China and exploring new areas of cooperation and projects, said officials involved in the visit’s preparations.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal and China made the official announcement of the visit on Friday.

Most officials in the meeting reportedly advised DPM Shrestha not to invite clashes over the projects between India and China. “We reminded the foreign minister that we already have deep cooperation in the energy sector with India and with Bangladesh via India,” a participant in the meeting said. “Let’s not engage with China in the same sector. We can offer projects other than the energy sector to the Chinese so there will be no clash with each other, and we can avoid the rivalry also.”

The official said that duplication in the projects between India and China would put the country in a difficult position.

“My visit will be focused on strengthening bilateral ties and increasing mutual cooperation and assistance between Nepal and China,” Shrestha said during a consultation meeting with government secretaries and senior officials. He also told them to provide the lists of projects to be taken up during the visit and the status of the China-funded projects run by different ministries.

The Nepali side is using the grant assistance of 3.5 billion RMB, which is equivalent to almost Rs60 billion, announced by Chinese President Xi Jinping during his state visit to Nepal in October 2019, among other things.

During the delegation-level talks with former President Bidya Devi Bhandari, Xi announced 3.5 billion RMB to Nepal as one-time aid, but the Nepali side has failed to use the Chinese grant. An aide to the minister said Shrestha wants to pursue the aid during the visit, to be invested in some specific projects.

“My upcoming China visit will focus on strengthening bilateral ties and increasing mutual trust and cooperation,” said Shrestha, addressing senior government officials. “We will discuss the status of China-funded projects in Nepal.”

Adviser to the National Security Council Shanker Das Bairagi, Foreign Secretary Sewa Lamsal, Revenue Secretary Ram Prasad Ghimire, Defence Secretary Kiran Raj Sharma, Energy Secretary Gopal Sigdel, Irrigation Secretary Sushil Chandra Tiwari, Keshav Sharma of the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, among other officials, were present during the consultation.

They were asked to provide the list of China-funded projects overseen by each ministry, the status of the China-funded projects and any new ones that need to be taken up during the visit, Suresh Kaji Shrestha, a personal aide to the DPM, told the Post.

Senior officials from various ministries presented lists of projects they are currently implementing, said an official present at the meeting. “The participants suggested that the deputy prime minister discuss projects related to energy, trade, tourism, road corridors, agriculture, technology transfer, and border management, as pledged by the Chinese side to be executed in Nepal.”

We discussed over two dozen projects, ongoing and new ones, during the consultation. “As per the priority, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will trim down or add to the list before discussing them with the Chinese side,” the participant said.

Beijing is expected to discuss the status of China-funded projects and the finalisation of projects under its Belt and Road Initiative as well as the reasons behind delays in implementing such projects in Nepal. China is likely to propose the signing of the BRI implementation plan without further delay.

Besides taking forward cooperation under its Global Development Initiative, China could even request Nepal to join its Global Security Initiative, according to officials and diplomats aware of the developments.

Meanwhile, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian, during a regular press conference in Beijing on Friday, announced the visit of DPM Shrestha to China. He stressed that China and Nepal are traditional friends and neighbours linked by mountains and rivers. The two countries have maintained close high-level exchanges with deepening practical cooperation in various fields, Lin shared.

“China stands ready to work with Nepal to take this visit as an opportunity to further deliver on the important common understandings between leaders of the two countries, deepen political mutual trust, pursue high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, expand exchanges and cooperation in various areas and strive for new progress in building China-Nepal strategic partnership of cooperation featuring ever-lasting friendship for development and prosperity,” said Lin.

The Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said the two sides maintained close coordination and collaboration in regional and international affairs. “Last September, Prime Minister [Pushpa Kamal Dahal] Prachanda paid an official visit to China, and leaders of the two countries reached important common understandings on growing the China-Nepal relations,” he said.

During the visit, Deputy PM Shrestha is scheduled to meet high-level dignitaries of the People’s Republic of China in Beijing and other provinces. He will return to Kathmandu on April 1.