NEPAL SAYS COMMITTED TO BELT AND ROAD INFRA PROJECTS

KATHMANDU: Nepal has said it is committed to undertake several big ticket infrastructure projects under China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) though details of the ventures are yet to be discussed with Beijing.

Krishna Bahadur Mahara, the deputy prime minister and foreign minister, gave an assurance in this regard to China during his ongoing visit to Beijing. Mahara strongly backed the BRI during talks with Premier Li Keqiang, foreign minister Wang Yi and state councillor Yang Jeichi.

Meeting Li on Thursday, Mahara said he had “come up with a common consensus among major political leaders in the government and in the opposition to carry forward railway connectivity as a national priority project”.

While expressing caution over the possibility of trans-Himalayan rail connectivity, Li told Mahara it is not political will but the difficult terrain that will decide railway projects between the two countries. Li said a feasibility study will take a long time because of the terrain.

Nepal signed a framework agreement on the BRI in May. India is keeping a wary eye on China’s efforts to rope in countries in the neighbourhood.

China plans to expand a highspeed railway line up to Nepal by 2020. It has also urged Nepal to further expand the line to Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha located close to the India border.

Chinese firms have conducted a pre-feasibility study for railway projects but Nepal is yet to give approval for a detailed project report on the expansion of the railway line.