- Infrastructure and tourism are two other agendas
- China may increase annual grant from Rs 1.17 billion to Rs 1.75 billion
- Agreement on developing 65-MW Trishuli-III likely
- Broad agricultural assistance on the cards
- Two governments likely to review Peace and Friendship Treaty of 1960
KATHMANDU, April 8: During Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal´s official visit to China early next month, Nepal is going to seek the northern neighbor´s assistance chiefly in four areas: Hydropower, infrastructure, tourism and agricultural cooperation.[break]
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Suresh Pradhan told myrepublica.com that China is likely to increase its annual grant assistance to Nepal from 100 million Chinese Yuan (Rs 1.17 billion) to 150 million Chinese yuan (Rs 1.75 billion).
On hydropower, said Pradhan, the prime minister is going to request China – as he did to Norway – to build a hydroelectricity project in Nepal, in addition to a proposed US$200 million investment in developing the 65 MW Trishuli-III by the China Exim Bank, in order to ease the acute power crisis facing the country.
Pradhan said the Exim Bank has already agreed to invest in the Trishuli project and there is possibility of formalizing it through an agreement during the Prime Minister´s China visit, which is the second since he was elected to the top post in August last year. Dahal had visited China, a week after becoming prime minister to attend the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympics.
Significantly, said Pradhan, there is possibility of the two countries signing an agreement outlining broad Chinese cooperation in Nepal´s agricultural sector, replacing an MoU signed in 2001 that did not see much progress. "It is likely to be a package deal (that includes Chinese donation of food grain, livestock and modernizing agriculture, among others)," said Pradhan. "They (Chinese) are positive about it." Nepal is going to request China to help set up an agriculture university in Nepal.
On infrastructure development, Nepal is going to reiterate its request to China to extend railway link to Nepal from its autonomous region of Tibet, besides seeking Chinese assistance on road construction and improvement, among others. "The government will try to attract more Chinese investments – both government and private," said spokesperson Pradhan. "It also depends upon Nepal´s political situation and investment-friendly rules and regulations."
The prime minister´s entourage will also try to woo Chinese tourists.
Among other issues, said Pradhan, the two governments, during the prime minister’s visit, are likely to review and update the Peace and Friendship Treaty that was signed in 1960. Nepal is also going to propose youth exchange program between the two countries on cultural and academic fields.
Though the visit had been initially planned for the last week of April, it is most likely going to take place in the first week of May. However, the details still need to be worked out, said Pradhan.
Foreign Minister Upendra Yadav is currently touring China, Hong Kong and Indonesia. It is not sure if he will join the prime minister to China next month.
tilak@myrepublica.com
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