Kathmandu, June 24 : Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has returned home today after completing a 6-day official visit to China.
In a press meet organized at Tribhuvan International Airport upon his arrival, PM Oli shared the achievements of the visit that both sides agreed to forward the cooperation on railway, roadway, port, air route, and communications under the framework of Trans-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Connectivity Network, so as to accelerate the implementation of the agreements under Belt and Road Initiative.
Expressing confidence that China would extend utmost support to Nepal in its national campaign of ‘Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali’ along with political stability, social harmony and economic development, PM Oli said both Nepal and China agreed to effectively implement the agreements and MoUs, including those signed during his 2016 visit.
Agreement on railway connectivity milestone
“The 14-point joint statement was issued after extensive preparation and rigorous discussion between Nepal and China,” he argued, adding that the visit would help augment the ambit of economic assistance to Nepal. According to him, the agreement on railway connectivity was one of the milestones. With its implementation, feasibility study on development of railway connecting Keyrong to Kathmandu via Rasuwagadhi with Chinese grants would be conducted soon. It also prepares base for construction of Kathmandu-Pokhara-Lumbini railway, he added in a press note distributed to the media persons. “It is a historic agreement in the history of two-country relation,” he underscored.
Feasibility study on construction of Keyrong-Rasuwagadhi-Galchhi-Ratmate 400 KV transmission line
Agreements were made to expand air connectivity, upgrade infrastructures for land route, and north-south transport. For this, additional study would be made on development of Koshi economic corridor, Gandaki corridor and Karnali economic corridor. The airline companies in the both countries would be encouraged to work for operating direct flight. Feasibility study would be conducted on Keyrong-Rasuwagadhi-Galchhi-Ratmate 400 KV transmission line as per the MoU held between Nepal Electricity Authority and Chinese State Grid Corporation.
Moreover, the press note mentioned that for the immediate implementation of the agreement on Nepal-China transit, discussion on necessary protocol would be held in July. Tatopani border will be reopened by May 2019, while Rasuwagadhi-Keyrong border point would be upgraded.
The Chinese side has agreed to conduct feasibility study of oil and gas and assist in creating necessary infrastructures for storing petroleum products.
