Nepal and China signed nine agreements on Tuesday during Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli’s official visit to Beijing. The Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) were exchanged following a meeting between Prime Minister Oli and his Chinese counterpart, Premier Li Qiang. However, the absence of any mention of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has raised eyebrows, hinting at possible disagreements within Nepal’s coalition government, much to China’s disappointment.
Krishna Prasad, spokesperson for Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, elaborated on the MOUs signed during the meeting. Notable agreements included the exchange of a completion certificate for the restored Nau-Talle Durbar—a historic nine-story palace damaged in the 2015 earthquake and subsequently restored by China. In addition, agreements were signed for the construction of the Tokha-Chhahare tunnel, the supply of processed buffalo meat from Nepal to China, and Chinese assistance for promoting the Chinese language in Nepal.
The absence of a significant reference to BRI is notable given its importance to China’s foreign relations. The clash between Nepal’s coalition parties is speculated to be the reason for this exclusion, hinting at internal political dynamics that may have impacted the agreements.