China visit encouraging: Foreign Minster Gyawali

Special Correspondent Hari Lamichhane
BEIJING, June 23: Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Gyawali has said that Prime Minister’s China visit was cordial and very useful and encouraging.

Talking to journalists in course of the arrival of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to Lhasa after completing his program at Beijing, Minister Gyawali briefed that China had openly lauded the recent political changes in Nepal.

The Chinese leadership had expressed strong confidence to cooperate Nepal forever so as to materialize the campaign of ‘Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali’, he briefed adding that matters related to mutual interests were openly discussed.

Referring Prime Minister’s quote that friendship is important than the agreement, Gyawali said the visit was very significant in that sense.

“We are satisfied and happy from this visit”, the Minister said while sharing that China had presented reliable basis to support and cooperate Nepal’s plans in priority.

He also termed the signing of agreements and Memorandum of Understanding with China ‘very important’.

“So far the information I received from Chinese side feasibility study on rail service would be completed by coming August”, he said adding additional study is necessary due to geological structure of the country.

There would be permanent mechanisms between Nepal and China at various levels and that would review the mutual relations between the two countries, Minister shared, adding that such mechanism would help us explore new areas of cooperation in future.

He further informed that there would be regular dialogue at Foreign Minister, Foreign Secretary/Joint Secretary and Director General levels.