Xi calls for advancing strategic partnership of cooperation with Nepal

BEIJING -- President Xi Jinping met with Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli here on Tuesday, pledging efforts to advance its strategic partnership of cooperation with Nepal.

Expressing appreciation for Oli's firm commitment to promoting friendship between the two sides over a long period of time, Xi said China and Nepal, linked by the same mountains and rivers, are good neighbors, good friends and good partners, and bilateral relations have maintained sound and steady development.

Noting that next year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, Xi said China places Nepal in an important position in its neighborhood diplomacy, and is willing to work with Nepal to consolidate their traditional friendship and push for new progress in advancing the China-Nepal strategic partnership of cooperation featuring ever-lasting friendship for development and prosperity.

Stressing that China respects Nepal's choice to follow a development path suited to its national conditions, Xi said that China supports Nepal in safeguarding its national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. China is ready to work with Nepal to consolidate strategic mutual trust and provide staunch support on issues concerning each other's core interests, he added.

Xi expressed China's willingness to deepen pragmatic cooperation with Nepal, advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and strengthen cooperation in such fields as ports, transportation, power grids and communication.

China is ready to continue offering assistance to Nepal's economic and social development within its capacity, and to encourage Chinese enterprises to invest and do business in Nepal, Xi said.

He noted that China supports Nepal's declaration of 2025 as Nepal Visit Year in China, and welcomes Nepali friends to travel to China for business, tourism and study.

China is willing to strengthen coordination with Nepal within multilateral platforms such as the United Nations, with the aim of defending the common interests of developing countries, Xi said.

Oli said that as a friend of China, Nepal is deeply proud of and inspired by China's remarkable development achievements, and hopes to learn from China's experience to boost its own development.

Noting that there are no problems, only friendship, between Nepal and China, Oli thanked China for providing various valuable support to Nepal. Nepal welcomes more Chinese enterprises to invest in the country and deepen cooperation in various fields, he said.

Both Xizang and Taiwan are inalienable parts of China's territory, Oli said. Stressing that Nepal firmly adheres to the one-China principle, he said the country will not allow any force to use its territory for anti-China activities or to harm China's interests, and that Nepal opposes any foreign interference in China's internal affairs.

A joint statement by the People's Republic of China and Nepal was also issued on Tuesday.