At a time when Beijing is concerned about the new Nepali government’s policy towards it, Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal has assured Chinese ambassador Zhang Maoming that Nepal’s stance towards China will remain unchanged under the new administration led by Prime Minister Balendra Shah.

The Chinese envoy visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday to extend a congratulatory message to the new foreign minister and discuss a host of issues of bilateral interest.

Earlier, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the Communist Party of China, and the Chinese Foreign Ministry had sent separate congratulatory messages to Prime Minister Shah, Foreign Minister Khanal, and the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), and assured that China is ready to work with the new government.

After exchanging pleasantries and conveying messages of Chinese government and leaders to the new government and the RSP, the Chinese ambassador had raised issues including the new government’s foreign policy, its attitude towards China, and the status of the past agreements between the two states in the past and among others, according to officials present at the meeting.

While highlighting the priorities of the new government, Khanal assured the Chinese ambassador that Nepal’s principled position towards China would remain unchanged and the government upholds both the letter and spirit enshrined in the constitution of Nepal and its foreign policy doctrine.

Earlier, after the RSP’s victory in the elections, delegates from the Communist Party of China (CPC) who were in Kathmandu to understand the foreign policy orientation of the new government, had also held talks with Khanal and other leaders and seek assurances that relations between Kathmandu and Beijing would remain smooth.

“We will continue to uphold our principled position enshrined in the constitution regarding foreign policy. Our stance and standards would remain the same. As always, we will support the one-China principle and will not allow our territory to be used against any country, including China,” an official quoted Foreign Minister Khanal as telling the envoy.

Following the RSP’s landslide victory in last month’s parliamentary elections, and amid rumors circulating on social media about the RSP’s foreign policy doctrine, Beijing wanted to make sure that its core security and strategic interest, investment and agreements and accords reached in the past would not be jeopardised, said observers.

In order to get assurance from the new government, the CCP had earlier sent multiple delegations to Kathmandu to engage with the new RSP government and leaders.

During Tuesday’s meeting, according to officials who do not want to be identified because they are not authorised to speak to the media, told the Post that Minister Khanal also communicated the priorities of the new government including good governance, effective service delivery, stability, development and others, and expected the support from Beijing.

The Chinese ambassador assured that Beijing will provide full support and cooperation to the new RSP government and expressed appreciation for Nepal’s commitment to longstanding foreign policy principles.

They also briefly discussed resuming the stalled meetings between Nepal and China including Bilateral Consultative Mechanism (BCM) at foreign secretary level (probably in June or July). Khanal and Zhang also discussed matters related to strengthening connectivity-related projects, trade, tourism, and investment, among others. Officials said that during the meeting, the Chinese ambassador also raised the issue of jointly developing the projects under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative and extended an invitation to Khanal to visit China on a convenient date.

Rupak Sapkota, who had served as foreign relations advisor to former prime minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, told the Post that since all major and middle powers, including China, have expressed their desire to work with the new government, they are equally concerned about political and policy stability in Nepal.

“One of the major deficiencies in the past was political and policy instability. With the formation of a strong government in Kathmandu, all major powers are looking for stability and clear policy direction. In particular, the Chinese are concerned about delays in implementing past accords and agreements,” said Sapkota, who earned his PhD in International Relations from Renmin University of China.

He said China also wants clear assurances on the working model developed between Kathmandu and Beijing since 2017, including the execution of the BRI (Belt and Road Initiative), implementation of past accords and agreements, and the continuation of Nepal’s independent foreign policy without aligning with any power.

He added that, in his understanding, China, like other countries, is concerned about how the new prime minister engages with the international community, as he appears less interested in meeting diplomats, envoys, and interlocutors.

During his tenure as mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Shah had refused to visit China over the Lipulekh map issue, after India and China in 2023 decided to trade through Nepal’s Lipulekh, without consulting Kathmandu. He also barred the Chinese from organising their New Year event in Thamel, kept on raising boundary questions, and pressed China on when the second phase of Kathmandu Ring Road expansion would be completed.

Sapkota added that there is some anxiety and perception about the new prime minister inside the Chinese strategic circles. But since foreign minister, finance minister seem to have matured and experienced hands, we expect a good working rapport between Kathmandu and Beijing.

“That is why the prime minister should engage actively with the international community to provide strategic clarity and convey Nepal’s outlook to the international community,” said Sapkota.