KATHMANDU, JUNE 18 After successive visits to neighbouring India and China in a fortnight, Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal today told Parliament that his ministry is prioritising border management, security of Nepali migrant workers abroad and advancement of economic diplomacy. Minister Khanal visited India from June 5 to 7 and paid an official visit to China from June 14 to 17. This quick succession of visits is widely perceived as a strategic move to maintain a geopolitical balance between the two superpowers. The back-to-back visits to Nepal's immediate neighbours are being seen as a major diplomatic win for the administration since the formation of the new government after the historic election on March 5 due to the Gen Z revolution on September 8 and 9, 2025. Foreign Minister Khanal, while responding to the MPs' questions relating to the Appropriation Bill during today's House of Representatives session, made the government's position clear on the border disputes with the neighbouring countries and rescue of distressed Nepali citizens abroad. Minister Khanal said work is under way to rebuild border pillars and record cross-border encroachment in the no-man's-land (dasgaja) zones along the Nepal-India border. The long-stalled process has finally resumed, with technical teams from both countries now conducting field operations, he told the House. Minister Khanal, back from China yesterday, informed the House about the existence of border disputes with the northern neighbour and said the government has allocated a budget for their resolution. 'The northern checkpoints are not as actively monitored as the southern frontier. There is a 'placeholder' budget to sort out minor disputes in some areas on the border with China and to make funds available as needed,' Minister Khanal said. Addressing queries raised in Parliament regarding the repatriation of the bodies of Nepali citizens who died while working abroad, Minister Khanal acknowledged that the state faces immense challenges when dealing with undocumented workers. He noted that bringing the bodies home remains a major hurdle be cause the government lacks a specific fund for those who migrated without official labour permits. 'If for any reason repatriation of a body through the employing company is not feasible, the Foreign Employment Board is empowered to release funds,' Foreign Minister Khanal explained. 'Problems, however, arise when we have to rescue, help or repatriate the bodies of those who left Nepal without a labour permit, who did not renew their permits through Nepali diplomatic missions abroad, or who migrated legally but ran away from their employer or sponsor to work illegally.' To bridge this funding gap for undocumented workers, Minister Khanal announced that a special emergency fund of Rs 150 million has been proposed through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the budget for the upcoming financial year. Minister Khanal said the trend of travelling on tourist visas or through illegal routes poses a major challenge in collecting accurate statistics on female migrant workers. He suggested that people should only go abroad after getting official labour permits, and public representatives should raise awareness on the issue. Minister Khanal said the government had a definite action plan to ensure that economic diplomacy leads to tangible outcomes. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is now developing country-specific strategies. The ministry plans to set targets for foreign direct investment (FDI), grants and loan mobilisation from the next fiscal year and a framework to monitor their progress. 'Diplomatic efforts are underway to release Amrit Jha, who is in detention for a probe in Iran, and nine Nepali nationals who are prisoners of war in Ukraine,' Minister Khanal said regarding Nepali citizens stranded abroad. He stated that access for the Red Cross has been confirmed and that repatriation efforts are ongoing, though he described the situation in Ukraine as highly sensitive. He also clarified that Nepal's foreign policy is strictly guided by the Constitution. Furthermore, he informed the House that preparations have begun to host the Sagarmatha Dialogue in May 2027 and that embankment construction in the Susta region will proceed in coordination with the Indian government.