Kathmandu, August 14: Speaking at a programme held here on Thursday (August 13) to mark the 71st anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Nepal and China and the award ceremony of the 2026 Nepal-China Friendship Short Video Competition, Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai said the anniversary was “not merely another event on our diplomatic calendar, but a testament to an enduring relationship.”
Foreign Secretary Rai reiterated Nepal’s firm commitment to the One China principle and its pledge not to allow Nepali territory to be used against China’s interests.
He said Nepal-China diplomatic relations are based on the principles of the Panchsheel, good neighbourliness, mutual partnership and cooperation, equality, and respect for each other’s sentiments and sensitivities.
Over the past seven decades, he said, bilateral relations had evolved from traditional ties and cultural exchanges into a broad partnership for shared prosperity.
According to Rai, high-level visits and exchanges at various levels have added dynamism and vitality to all aspects of Nepal-China relations and further strengthened friendship between the two countries. He also noted that, alongside bilateral relations, Nepal and China have demonstrated a firm commitment to multilateralism for a rules-based global order and have been cooperating on issues of common interest at various multilateral forums.
As a good friend and close neighbour, Nepal takes pride in China’s remarkable economic development, he said, adding that Nepal wants to learn from China’s experience and further deepen its economic cooperation with the rapidly growing Chinese economy.
Noting that trade, investment, infrastructure development, tourism, education, culture and people-to-people relations between Nepal and China have expanded significantly over the past seven decades, Secretary Rai said Nepal attaches importance to the Trans-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Connectivity Network and its early implementation.
On the occasion, Chinese Ambassador Zhang Maoming said that since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, Nepal and China have continued to respect, trust and support each other regardless of changes in the international landscape. He described the two countries as good neighbours, good friends and good partners who stand by each other through both happiness and hardship.
Ambassador Zhang said that political mutual trust between Nepal and China has deepened since the formation of the new government in Nepal, while high-level Belt and Road cooperation has been moving forward with tangible results.
Noting that new progress has been achieved in trade and the economy, infrastructure, connectivity, energy, agriculture, education, health and tourism, Ambassador Maoming said large numbers of Chinese tourists have been visiting Nepal to experience its unique beauty. He said these ordinary but warm exchanges between the peoples of the two countries constitute the real foundation of present-day Nepal-China relations.
Ambassador Zhang recalled that Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Nepal in 2019 elevated bilateral relations to the level of a “long-term strategic partnership for development and prosperity.”
He said China has always followed the path of peaceful development and believes that all countries, regardless of their size, strength or economic status, should respect one another, treat each other equally and coexist peacefully.
He said China is ready to further advance relations with Nepal on the basis of mutual respect and mutual benefit, implement important understandings reached between the two countries, and promote the building of a community with a shared future between Nepal and China.
Ambassador Zhang expressed satisfaction that, in the digital age, short audiovisual content can transcend the barriers of language, distance and culture and reach a broad audience within seconds.
He praised the large number of entries received in this year’s Nepal-China Friendship Short Video Competition, saying the participants had captured various dimensions of Nepal-China relations as well as the beautiful landscapes of the two countries.
Stressing that audiovisual content conveys emotion and warmth, he said Nepal-China relations are not merely political agreements recorded in diplomatic documents but are also kept alive through extensive cooperation, exchanges and visits between the peoples of the two countries.
At the programme, prizes and honours were presented to the winners of the Nepal-China Friendship Short Video Competition. Dipesh Syangdan won the first prize along with a cash award of Rs. 50,000. Leaders of various political parties, diplomats, businesspeople and representatives from other sectors were present on the occasion.
People’s News Monitoring Service.
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