How fruitful were PM’s New York and China visits?
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal is now in China. He reached Hangzhou, China, directly from New York, USA, on September 23 to attend the inauguration ceremony of the Asian Games. He reached New York to address the United Nations General Assembly. After addressing the UNGA on September 22, he flew to China on an official visit.
Upon his arrival in China, the Prime Minister remained busy both in Hangzhou and Beijing. In Hangzhou, he attended the opening ceremony of the Asian Games and held a bilateral delegationlevel meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
According to a statement from the PM's Secretariat, Prime Minister Dahal engaged in an open and clear dialogue with President Xi Jinping, addressing a range of bilateral matters of mutual interest. “During the meeting, both leaders agreed that cooperation among all regional powers is essential to promoting regional stability, peace, and development,” the statement read. Similarly, both leaders have committed to enhancing mutual cooperation by demonstrating a deeper understanding of each other's interests and sensitivities.
President Xi has also conveyed a message of China's readiness to wholeheartedly cooperate and provide support for Nepal's economic and social development.
In Beijing, PM Dahal had a bilateral meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Li Qiang. Also, Nepal and China signed 13 agreements related to cooperation in agriculture, trade, science and technology, and the translation and publication of classics. The documents were signed and exchanged in the presence of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' and
his Chinese counterpart Li Qiang following their bilateral meeting at the Great Hall of the People.
Speaking at the bilateral meeting, Chinese Premier Li appreciated PM Prachanda for his contribution to elevating Nepal-China relations. Referring to PM Prachanda's meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Premier Li said that the meeting had been productive. Premier Li also made the point that high-level exchanges help deepen relations and recalled that the relationship between the two neighbours was elevated to a strategic partnership of cooperation.
On his part, PM Dahal thanked Premier Li for the invitation and the hospitality, while also congratulating him for achieving the first centennial goal and wishing him a grand success for achieving the second centennial goal of China.
PM Dahal was offered a Guard of Honour in front of the Great Hall of the People before his bilateral meeting with his Chinese counterpart Li. PM Prachanda also had a bilateral meeting with Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Standing Committee
of the National People's Congress (NPC), at the Great Hall of the People. The next day of the bilateral meeting, a joint statement was issued in Beijing highlighting the key issues agreed upon during the meeting. The issuance of the joint statement by Nepal and China was itself proof that the PM visit to China was successful and fruitful for both countries. Nepal and China have agreed to strengthen connectivity in such areas as ports, roads, railways, airways and grids in an orderly manner, jointly build the Trans-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Connectivity Network, work together to ensure the safety of the cooperation projects and company personnel of the two countries and contribute to Nepal's realisation of its development agenda including graduating from the least developed country status at an early date, read the Joint Statement issued in Beijing on Tuesday. "The two sides will further promote cooperation in the field of energy, particularly the development of hydropower and crossborder transmission
lines and associated substations. The two sides will continue working toward the finalization of the China-Nepal Electric Power Cooperation Plan by convening the second meeting of the Joint Implementation Mechanism at the earliest," read the Joint Statement.
Earlier on Sunday, the Prime Minister addressed the NepalChina Business Summit jointly organised by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) and the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) in Beijing.
Back in the USA, the Prime Minister addressed several meetings before addressing the UNGA. He met with the officials of the UN including Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. He also had a brief meeting with US President Joe Biden in New York. Considering the leaders, he met in the USA including President Biden and China and the bilateral meetings held with Chinese President XI and Premier Li, the visit of the PM was successful this time. Moreover, the lengthy Joint Statement issued in Beijing on Tuesday also proved that.