Friendship key in China's ties with Nepal

Xi says he hopes to raise relationship to even higher level through state visit

China and Nepal agreed on Saturday to upgrade their relations to a strategic partnership of cooperation featuring everlasting friendship for development and prosperity.

The agreement was reached and announced when President Xi Jinping met with Nepali President Bidya Devi Bhandari.

Xi said he came to Nepal as scheduled after Bhandari warmly invited him when they met in Beijing in April. He agreed with her that there is only friendship and cooperation between China and Nepal.

The two peoples have shared well-being and difficulty and have set an example for friendly exchanges between neighboring countries, Xi said, adding that he hopes to carry the traditional friendship forward and take the bilateral relationship to a new and higher level through his visit.

Xi called on the two sides to consolidate the political foundation of their relations and set the building of a community with a shared future as a long-term goal for the development of China-Nepal ties.

Xi said he has appreciated Nepal's firm adherence to the one-China policy and that China, as always, will support Nepal in safeguarding its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The two sides should build a pattern of all-around cooperation, a trans-Himalayan connectivity network and expand exchanges and cooperation in various fields, he said.

Noting that China just celebrated the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, Xi said that the country will continue to deepen reform and expand opening-up so as to advance high-quality development.

A stable, open and prosperous China will always be a development opportunity for Nepal and the rest of the world, he added.

Bhandari welcomed Xi's state visit to Nepal, saying that the country is willing to learn from China's successful experience of development.

The Nepali president said she believes that the Chinese people, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, will realize the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation, which will definitely bring benefits to Nepal and help promote regional peace, development and prosperity.

Noting that Xi is the first Chinese president to visit Nepal in 23 years, Bhandari said the two countries' announcement of establishing a strategic partnership of cooperation will consolidate their traditional friendship, enrich their ties and usher in a new era for the Nepal-China relationship.

Nepal, she said, respects China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and will never allow any anti-China force to engage in anti-China activities in Nepal, adding that Nepal is willing to actively participate in the Belt and Road Initiative and building of a trans-Himalayan connectivity network.

Bhandari hosted a welcoming banquet for Xi on Saturday evening at which the Chinese president said that his first visit to Kathmandu allows him to witness a country enjoying good governance and social harmony.

Xi called on the two countries to jointly build a new future for bilateral ties.

Bhandari said that Nepal and China always trust and respect each other and their friendship is unbreakable.

Besides, in a meeting with Nepal Communist Party Co-Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Sunday, Xi said the CPC is willing to strengthen exchanges with the NPC.

He said the CPC would like to establish a regular exchange mechanism with the NPC to learn from each other's experience in party building and governance, and to build a new form of party relationship featuring mutual respect and learning as well as seeking common ground while shelving differences.

Dahal said that Nepal hopes to establish long-term cooperation with the CPC to learn from its successful governance experience.

On Saturday, Xi also met with Nepali Congress Party President Sher Bahadur Deuba and Nepali National Assembly Chairman Ganesh Prasad Timilsina.

China Daily - Xinhua