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thmandu, March 27

Chinese President Xi Jinping today met Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal at Great Hall of the People in Beijing and pushed for early execution of all bilateral agreements and understandings that were reached during the then prime minister KP Sharma Oli’s visit to Beijing in March 2016, the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Nepali Embassy in Beijing, Harish Chandra Ghimire, said.

Several bilateral cooperation and infrastructure development-related pacts regarding transit transport, petroleum storage and import were inked during Oli’s visit.

The PM reiterated his pledge to fully implement all the past pacts between the two countries.

He also urged the Chinese leader to take initiatives to ensure early resumption of traffic on the Araniko Highway which had been obstructed since the April 2015 earthquakes severely damaged the highway.

The Chinese president said he and his government were serious about opening Tatopani and other border points. Xi also assured the PM that the local leadership of the Tibetan Autonomous Region would be asked to take necessary steps to this effect, according to Ghimire.

The PM also left for Lhasa from Beijing today itself.

The two sides reiterated the importance of enhancing connectivity, including railways, roadways, airways and info-ways between the two countries.

The leaders also discussed constructing a railway line in Nepal with Chinese investment.

The PM said his meeting with Xi would add a new dimension to the existing bilateral relations between the two neighbours, the PM’s Secretariat quoted Dahal as saying.

The Chinese president expressed concerns about Nepal’s political stability and economic development, prosperity, infrastructure development and railway, Dahal added. Xi also told the PM that Beijing wanted to see a ‘politically stable’ and ‘socio-economically prosperous’ Nepal and pledged to provide support worth Chinese Yuan 9 million (approx Rs 140 million) to Nepal for conducting local level elections scheduled for May 14.

Earlier today, Dahal urged the business community in China to invest in Nepal. “I promise you that your venture in Nepal will be profitable and secure.”

The Chinese leader also urged Nepal to maintain harmonious relationship with India.