(TibetanReview.net, Nov23’24) –As Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli of Nepal prepares to visit China from Dec 2, proposed items on his agenda under consideration include a proposal to sign an agreement related to boundary management and security cooperation agreed during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Nepal in 2019, reported the kathmandupost.com Nov 23.
The report cited an official as saying the implementation agreement between the governments of China and Nepal on the Boundary Management System is also part of the agreement, with a copy of the proposed agreement having already been submitted to the House of Representatives.
Also on Oli’s agenda is stated to be a plan to sign a memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Public Security of China and Nepal’s Ministry of Home Affairs on the establishment of a Boundary Contact System at three levels.
The Chinese side—and especially security officials from Tibet—has for long been pushing for Nepal to accept the boundary contact system at federal, provincial and local levels, the report said.
Another proposal is said to include signing a memorandum of understanding on law enforcement cooperation between Nepal and China, with provisions for Chinese support in immigration and security on the Nepali side of the border.
The reports cites a long list of items on Oli’s China visit agenda, topped by some key cross-border infrastructure and connectivity projects, including joint projects under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Among the proposals exchanged between the two sides is China’s offer of a $20 million grant as budgetary support to Nepal, even as the latter’s Ministry of Finance expressed dissatisfaction with the amount, the report said.
The report cited officials from various ministries as saying Nepal was preparing a long list of projects to be developed under the framework of the BRI as well as other cross-border infrastructure and connectivity-related projects. This also includes implementing projects agreed during past high-level visits.
The funding modality of these projects is yet to be discussed, the report cited officials as saying, adding that the final list would be handed over to the Chinese.
Nepali Congress, the main coalition partner of Oli’s CPN (UML), is known to be opposed to the latter’s willingness to accept normal funding for the BRI projects being insisted upon by China, as it entails high interest rates and the danger of debt trap.