KATHMANDU, Nov 25: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said that no agreements related to loans will be signed during his official visit to China starting from December 2.
In a discussion with the former prime minister and former foreign ministers on Monday regarding the impending visit to China, PM Oli mentioned that there is no proposed project related to the BRI (Belt and Road Initiative) loan planned to be discussed during the visit and clarified that the issue of whether to take loans from China or not is not a subject of dispute at the moment.
“We can take loans or grants from any country and agency based on national interests if necessary and we should not pay attention to unfounded rumors that loans are being taken to trap debt,” PM Oli said, “Nepal has a long and friendly relationship with China, and the purpose of this visit is to further strengthen and diversify the friendship between the two countries.”
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He further said, “Even if we visit any country, we always prioritize the sovereignty, independence, and freedom of our nation, along with the international interests and national interests. There is no point in creating confusion that there is a dispute between the ruling Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML about the issues of visit. We do nothing other than work for world peace and Nepal’s interest. I urge my friends to remain assured about this.”
PM Oli said that preparations for the visit to China are focused on discussions regarding the effective implementation of agreements made in the past as well as the expansion of transmission lines, export of Nepalese products to China and other cooperation matters.
Stating that Nepal has the same friendly relationship with another neighbor, India, the PM emphasized that the benefits of the friendly relationship between the two countries should be used in Nepal’s economic development.
PM Oli urged that such matters should not be taken as a ‘card’ against any country as the decision on which country the head of Nepal's executive will visit first will depend on the country’s needs and decisions.
In the discussion, former Prime Minister and Chairman of CPN (Maoist Center) Pushpa Kamal Dahal said that he had broken the tradition by visiting China first in the past and clarified that his visit was not intended as a statement of playing the ‘China card’. He emphasized on the effective implementation of agreements with China when he was the PM last year.
Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba mentioned that the ruling two-party coalition is working on the agenda for the upcoming visit to China, and that the finalization of all agendas will soon be done by PM Oli.
The chairman of Nepali Congress and former PM Sher Bahadur Deuba was absent in the discussion as he was out of Kathmandu Valley. Meanwhile, former Prime Ministers Jhala Nath Khanal, Madhav Kumar Nepal, former Chairperson of Council of Ministers, Khil Raj Regmi, former Foreign Ministers Ishwar Pokharel, Narayan Kaji Shrestha, Bhesh Bahadur Thapa, NP Saud, Mahendra Bahadur Pandey, Dr Prakash Chandra Lohani, Dr Bimala Rai Paudyal and others also participated in the discussion.
