Nepalese prime minister's visit will help boost shared development and prosperity

Next year will mark the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Nepal. Nepalese Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli's four-day visit to China starting on Monday looks set to help open up new prospects for the development of China-Nepal relations by accelerating practical cooperation across the board.

Oli has previously visited China twice as Nepal's prime minister, visits that have marked the advancement of China-Nepal relations. During his ongoing visit this time, the Nepalese head of government is scheduled to meet not only the Chinese leadership but also representatives of the business community and cultural and social circles to deepen the two neighbors' traditional friendship, expand Belt and Road cooperation, promote economic and trade cooperation and people-to-people exchanges, and strengthen the two countries' coordination on regional issues of mutual interest.

Despite the changing international and regional landscape over the past decades, bilateral ties have maintained sound and steady growth, setting a fine example of equality and win-win cooperation between countries of different sizes.

In 2019, Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a historic state visit to Nepal during which the bilateral relationship was elevated to a Strategic Partnership of Cooperation Featuring Ever-lasting Friendship for Development and Prosperity. After that, the two sides have been earnestly delivering on the important common understanding reached between the leaders of the two countries, achieving fruitful outcomes.

With a three-dimensional interconnectivity network across the Himalayas taking shape, China is ready to work with Nepal to promote infrastructure connectivity, expand transit transport cooperation, and help Nepal transform from a "landlocked country" to a "land-linked country".

Specifically, the two sides are looking to strengthen cooperation in port and channel construction to further facilitate the cross-border circulation of materials, and deepen their cooperation in aviation, tourism and other fields.

China and Nepal have broad common interests in international and regional affairs, and China is willing to strengthen multilateral cooperation with Nepal to safeguard the common interests of the two countries. China is a long-term partner and friend that Nepal can trust and rely on.

China highly appreciates Nepal's consistent adherence to the one-China principle and its firm support for China in safeguarding its core interests. China also firmly supports Nepal in safeguarding its sovereignty, independence and national dignity, and supports Nepal in exploring a development path that suits its national conditions.

China-Nepal relations have withstood the test of the evolving international landscape and the two countries' relationship has maintained a sound and stable development momentum. History and facts have proved that China-Nepal friendship is in line with the fundamental and long-term interests of the Nepalese people. Beijing is willing to maintain high-level exchanges with Kathmandu to consolidate their political mutual trust and traditional friendship and ensure the correct direction of China-Nepal relations.

The two countries should take the opportunity of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations to deliver on the important common understanding reached between the leaders of the two countries, push for new progress in the China-Nepal strategic partnership of cooperation featuring everlasting friendship for development and prosperity, and build an even closer China-Nepal community with a shared future.

Those trying to hype up that Oli has broken a tradition of Nepalese leaders of making his first overseas visit to China rather than India should be reminded that this is his fourth time serving as prime minister of the Himalayan nation. They should also bear in mind that Sino-Nepalese cooperation does not target any third party. Instead, China is always open to cooperation with the other like-minded partners to promote regional common development, and safeguard regional peace and stability.