China attaches great importance to developing ties with Nepal

KATMANDU - Nepal is an important neighbor of China and developing ties with Nepal is one of China's priorities in developing ties with its neighbors, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here Friday.

While meeting with his Nepalese counterpart Mahendra Bahadur Pandey, the Chinese foreign minister said the development of diplomatic ties between the two countries have witnessed equal treatment, mutual trust and mutual support in the past 60 years, the Chinese foreign minister said.

Wang expressed his gratitude toward Nepal for its firm and precious support in China's core interests including the issue of Tibet.

China and Nepal should not only be friends of mutual trust and mutual support, but also should be good partners of common development and common prosperity, Wang said.

China is willing to join hands with Nepal to push forward the closer connection of the development strategies of the two countries and further deepen cooperation in all fields so as to bring more benefits to the peoples, he said.

Wang proposed the two sides widen pragmatic cooperation in nine sectors, namely trade, investment, agriculture, infrastructure, science and technology, interconnection and intercommunication, tourism, cultural and educational exchanges, security and law enforcement.

Wang said the two nations should fully implement the "three supports" mode in fund, talent and geography.

Concerning the fund support, Wang proposed that Nepal should be involved in the projects of "one belt and one road", initiatives put forward by China.

Nepal, said the Chinese foreign minister, also should obtain fund from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the Silk Road Fund for its development projects.

Wang said, in terms of the talent support, China wishes to help Nepal by providing 500 training opportunities and offer more scholarship under the framework of the five principles of peaceful co-existence.

The Chinese foreign minister said, relating to the geographic support, China will encourage its Tibet Autonomous Region, which borders Nepal, to boost cooperation and exchanges with Nepal.

For his part, Pandey said the achievements of China's peaceful development have provided important enlightenment for other countries in the region.

Nepal will continue to uphold the One-China policy, the Nepal foreign minister said.

Pandey said Wang's proposal fully displays China's sincerity in helping Nepal's development and Nepal will promote its cooperation with China comprehensively.