Kathmandu, April 8: Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal assured Chinese Ambassador Zhang Maoming that Kathmandu’s position toward Beijing will remain consistent under the new government led by Prime Minister Balendra Shah.
The assurance came during a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday, where the envoy congratulated Khanal and discussed key bilateral issues. The conversation touched on Nepal’s foreign policy direction, its stance toward China, and the status of past agreements.
Beijing has been watching closely after the recent political shift following the election victory of the Rastriya Swatantra Party. Chinese officials and party representatives had engaged Nepali leaders to gauge the new government’s foreign policy outlook. Concerns also rose about the potential maintenance of earlier commitments and strategic interests.
In response, Khanal reiterated that Nepal would continue to follow its established foreign policy principles, including adherence to the one-China policy. He emphasized that Nepal would not permit the use of its territory against any nation and would uphold existing agreements in both letter and spirit.
The minister also outlined the government’s priorities, including governance reform, service delivery, stability, and economic development, while expressing hope for continued Chinese support.
Ambassador Zhang welcomed Nepal’s position and reaffirmed Beijing’s willingness to cooperate with the new administration. Both sides discussed reviving stalled mechanisms such as the Bilateral Consultative Mechanism and advancing cooperation in connectivity, trade, tourism, and investment. China also pushed for progress on projects under the Belt and Road Initiative and invited Khanal for an official visit.
People’s News Monitoring Service
Login to add a comment