- Tuesday, 16 September 2025
Mahendra Subedi/RSS
Kathmandu, August 1: Today marks the 70th anniversary of Nepal-China formal diplomatic ties, symbolizinga longstanding friendship with undisputed history and promising future in social, political, economic and diplomatic milieus.
The formal diplomatic ties between Nepal and China was established in 1955 during the tenure of then Nepali Prime Minister Tanka Prasad Acharya, a tall political figure,who is less talked about among Nepal’s political communities despite his immense political and diplomatic contributions to uplift Nepal’s glory in the international arena. Acharya’s contributions to Nepal-China relations are equally noted since he is the first Nepali Prime Minister to visit China. The time of 1955 is equally important as that convened the First Bandung Conference, ‘discussing peace, the role of the third world in the Cold War, economic development, and decolonization’.It was a period when Nepal was looking for overseas cooperation and extend its outreach in the international level in the post-Rana regime period. The period also marks a transition following the end of Rana Regime in 2007 BS and before the start of Panchayat System in 2017 BS.
As stated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the historic and multi-faceted relations between the two countries have evolved since the days of Nepali monk and scholar Buddhabhadra, Princess Bhrikuti and Araniko and early visits of Chinese monks and scholars like Mon Fa Xian, Monk Xuan Zang among others.
BRI and China in the global stage
China is a key global player for multilateralism, openness and cooperation irrespective of other countries’ political ideology; it is currently a global leader in renewable energy; it has led south-south cooperation; it is the number one trading partner of commodity goods to most of the countries in the world; and China is a major source of FDI, source country for tourists and an advocate of globalization. That’s why our collaboration with China is needed to take benefit from China’s rise in those areas. Nepal should prepare itself to benefit from China’s rise not only by receiving FDI and tourists but also by learning the ideas for innovation on IT, AI and other latest global achievements. Similarly, student exchanges, scholarship, visits of government and non-state officials to China are extremely high benefitting for thousands of Nepalis every year. Tourism is another area that Nepal can benefit immensely from China’s growth but there are some bottlenecks too. After the COVID-19, Nepal witnessed the decreasing trend of tourist arrival from China. However, the year 2024 welcomed impressive number of Chinese tourists. Nepal received more than 100,000 Chinese tourists in 2024 while more Chinese tourists are expected to visit this year because the Chinese government has announced to support Nepal’s tourism by announcing the Visit Nepal Year for 2025.
The BRI is a major flagship of China’s foreign policy and it is the fulcrum of Nepal-China relations too. Given China’s massive priority to the BRI and the BRI-related projects, any country in the world expecting Chinese assistance have redefined their developmental works through the lens of the BRI framework. Against this backdrop, it is good that Nepal and China have agreed to advance the BRI projects through the signing of the BRI implementation framework. Through BRI, Nepal should pitch for higher level of business and trade cooperation with enhanced socioeconomic connectivity with China. This shall ensure win-win cooperation for both Nepal and China.Fortunately, 10 different projects under the BRI are expected to be implemented in Nepal. The projects include Tokha-Chhahare Tunnel Road, Hilsa-Simkot Road Project, Kimathanka-Khandbari Road Project, Jilong-Kerung-Kathmandu Railway Project, Madan Bhandari University, China-Nepal Friendship Industrial Park and others. With the finalization of projects to be carried out under the BRI cooperation, Nepal would benefit with enhanced road and railway connectivity and higher level of engagement on cultural, technological and educational areas.
Former ambassador of Nepal to China, Leelamani Paudyal, shares that the relations between Nepal and China have been marked by mutual trust and support, broader understanding of each other’s core interests, cooperation and respect. “The bilateral friendly ties have developed from strength to strength. Our cooperation with China is in the national interests because China has translated many impossible things into reality. Our new generation too can learn new ideas given their engagement with Chinese counterparts,” sinologist Paudyal added.
In words of foreign affairs scholar, Dr Saroj Gautam, Nepal and China share a unique and vital relationship as immediate neighbors, underpinned by centuries of unwavering peaceful coexistence and mutually respectful diplomacy. “Such historical bonds are rare in international relations. As global economic powerhouse and an internationally recognized model for rapid development and poverty alleviation, China offers Nepal opportunities for multi-dimensional partnership. For a nation situated in a strategically important location, a robust partnership with China provides the essential geopolitical counterweight needed to maintain genuine strategic autonomy, practice an effective neighborhood balancing policy, and ultimately safeguard Nepal’s constitutionally enshrined commitments to an independent and non-aligned foreign policy,” Dr Gautam argued.
Maintaining close and cooperative relation with China is, therefore, not merely beneficial, but a fundamental imperative for Nepal’s sovereignty, stability and prosperity, Dr Gautam observed.
Hence, Nepal should deepen its strong ties with China and other neighboring countries in the present world that has witnessed immense and unprecedented moves and mutability. For this, our politicians should be open to discuss the menus with our key priorities but the leaders should unlock their biases. Moreover, our ties with China are crucial to get maximum benefits from China’s miraculous achievements in poverty reduction, green economy, startups, entrepreneurship, rural economy revitalization, improved agricultural output and, most importantly, IT and AI, among others.
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08 – 47 arrested in Kathmandu on charge of criminal activities
Kathmandu, August 1: Nepal Police arrested altogether 47 people involved in criminal activities in various places across the Kathmandu Valley last night.
In a coordinated operation conducted by the Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office and District Police Office, Kathmandu, police apprehended those individual including notorious gangster Chakre Milan.
Chief of the Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Ramesh Basnet, shared that the operation targeted persons involved in hooliganism and criminal activities and were detained from Thamel and Maharajgunj areas in Kathmandu.
SSP Basnet mentioned, “We have taken those involved in untoward and criminal activities into custody. They are currently being interrogated.” Basnet added that the arrested ones were allegedly involved in fights and extortion in restaurants and clubs in the valley.
Police had nabbed Yubraj Gurung aka Sanubhai from a Dohori Club at Thamel around 3 am on Thursday. He was reportedly involved in a fight with a rival group at Nagarkot Dohori Club at Narsinghchowk.
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09 – PM Oli urges to increase millet production
Kathmandu, August 1: Prime Minister and CPN (UML) Chairperson KP Sharma Oli has shared that millet was not only our indigenous food grain but a food staple with nutritional value.
In a message of best wishes on the National Millet Day today, Prime Minister Oli urged all to increase millet production and consume its dishes.
Taking to a social networking site, he writes, “Let’s increase the millet production and consume its dishes. Best wishes to all on the National Millet Day!”
“The consumption of millet helps control the amount of glucose in blood as well as helps make the heart healthy as it is fiber-rich crop. The government has decided to observe Saun 16 as the National Millet Day from this year to promote such nutritious food,” mentioned the PM.
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10 – PM Oli to visit Turkmenistan from August 3
Kathmandu, August 1: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is leaving for Turkmenistan on August 3 leading a Nepali delegation to the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC3), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated.
The Conference is being held from August 5 to 8 in Awaza, Turkmenistan.
Prime Minister Oli is visiting Turkmenistan to attend the Conference at the invitation Serdar Berdimuhamedov, the President of Turkmenistan, and Antonio Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General.
PM Oli is scheduled to address the Conference as the Chair of the Global Coordination Bureau of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and in national capacity, according to the Ministry.
Likewise, the Prime Minister will also co-chair a high-level roundtable of the Conference and address other events.
Besides, the Prime Minister will meet heads of delegations from various countries and other high-level dignitaries of the UN and other international organizations on the margins of the Conference, the Ministry shared.
PM Oli will be accompanied by his spouse Radhika Shakya, Chief Adviser to the Prime Minister Bishnu Prasad Rimal, Member of the Federal Parliament Surya Bahadur Thapa Kshetree and other high-ranking government officials during the visit.
The Ministry shared that the PM will return to Nepal on August 8.
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11 – Patan Hospital to be upgraded
Kathmandu, August 1: The Patan Hospital running under the Patan Academy of Health Sciences in Lalitpur district will be upgraded.
The 600-bed Hospital will be developed into 1,200-bed health facilities for which suggestions are being collected on the environment impact assessment (EIA) report.
A meeting presided over by Joint-Secretary at Ministry of Forest and Environment (MoFE) Dhirendra Kumar Pradhan here today suggested to develop physical infrastructures that are intended to deliver quality healthcare service to people in an environmentally responsible manner.
In light of increasing importance of the Hospital lately, Joint-Secretary Pradhan underscored timely completion of the upgradation works.
Likewise, Ramesh Bahadur Basnet, Under-Secretary at the Ministry of MoFE, viewed that the construction of modern and environmental-friendly infrastructures should be emphasized while expanding the Hospital’s infrastructures.
The Hospital spans across 52 ropani in Lalitpur Metropolitan City-5 in Lalitpur district and has been providing OPD services to around 2,000 patients on a daily basis.
Academy’s Registrar Dr Parash Kumar Acharya shared that the Hospital’s capacity was going be enhanced considering the increasing patients’ flow.
Dr Jyoti Prasad Gajurel, Chief of the Nepal Rural and Advancement Committee Pvt Ltd which is reviewing the EIA report, informed that the Hospital will have double basement and modern eight-storey buildings after its upgradation.
The upgradation project is expected to cost Rs 10 billion. While conducting EIA, issues of waste management, traffic management and environmentally-friendly infrastructures will be taken into consideration.
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12- 20 cases of dengue fever recorded in 15 days in Chitwan
Chitwan, August 1: Chitwan district has recorded 20 cases of dengue disease in the past 15 days.Such numbers of dengue patients were confirmed from among the patients who visited the health facilities in the district for treatment.
Public Health Officer at the Public health Office, Chitwan, Anshu Pokharel, said 20 people were found suffering from dengue in course of conducting blood test of 798 people.
Of the infected ones, 14 were from Chitwan district while the remaining other patients were from other districts.
Dengue disease is transmitted to humans from the bite of female mosquito (Aedes aegypti). Joint, muscle and body pain, rashes on skin, bleeding, high fever are some of the symptoms of dengue disease. It is necessary to keep surrounding clean to be protected from mosquito bite.
Meanwhile, 32 people were diagnosed with scrub typhus in the district during the same period. Such number of scrub typhus was recorded from the patients who came for treatment in various health facilities in the district.
Pokharel shared that of the dengue patients, 23 were from Chitwan while nine were from other districts.
Scrub typhus is transmitted to humans through bites from mites that infest rodents or other animals. Symptoms include high fever, red eyes, coughing, vomiting, stomach pain, diarrhea, breathing difficulties, and body pain. Black spots can sometimes appear at the bite site.
Scrub typhus is caused by the bacterium Orientia tsutsugamushi and is transmitted to humans through bites from infected mites (chiggers).
Fever, redness in the eyes, cough, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea, breathing complications, severe headache, joint and muscle pain, malaise, and sometimes black spots in the bite site are its common symptoms.
To prevent infection, the people are advised wearing long-sleeved clothing, using insect repellent, maintaining clean surroundings, trimming grass near homes, and controlling rodents through proper grain storage.
The first case of scrub typhus was reported in 2015 in Chitwan.
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13- Job creation possible thru skill-based training: Minister Khadka
Khandbari (Sankhuwasabha), August 1: Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Deepak Khadka asserted that employment generation and self-reliance were only possible through skill-based training.
The Minister emphasized the need to equip the local human resources in Sankhuwasabha district with skills to develop the district as a hub for hydro power production.
Minister Khadka said so while inaugurating a 20-day training programme on power house operation and maintenance at Khandbari Municipality-1 in the district today.
Noting that mega hydro power projects such as Arun III, Upper Arun, Lower Arun and Arun IV among others were under-construction in the district, he opined that the local youths should benefit from these projects.
He acknowledged that the role of youths undergoing training would be crucial for long-term benefit and success of these under-construction hydro power projects.
“In the district with immense hydropower potential, the need of the hour is to empower youths through skill development to make them self-reliant and economically strong,” argued the Minister.
According to him, skill development was not only a foundation for employment, it was a gateway for economic empowerment and self-reliance. Furthermore, Minister Khadka unveiled the plan to establish a technical institute at Khandbari.
He also shared that several skill-based training programmes in various fields such as health, construction, carpentry, plumbing and electrical works would be conducted in the district in coming days.
On the occasion, Khandbari Municipality Mayor Mahesh Thapaliya reaffirmed his commitment to support such initiatives which, he believed, would instill hope, potential and a sense of self-reliance among the youths.
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14 – Youths should be tech-savvy, says Communications Minister
Kathmandu, August 1: Minister for Communications and Information Technology Prithvi Subba Gurung has said that the youths should work for their constructive future by establishing themselves sound in the area of information technology.
Inaugurating the KCC Exhibition 2025 organized by the Kantipur City College here today, Minister Gurung underscored the need of competent human resources in the areas of information technology.
Arguing that the IT sector has immense potential for jobs, Minister Gurung stated that many countries have advanced ahead because of growth in the IT sector.
He, however, said limited human resources, ineffective policies and poor IT mechanisms have created challenges to translate the possibilities into practice.
On the occasion, the Communications Minister assured the youths that the government would gradually create a favorable environment so that the youths would achieve outstanding results in the IT sector.
“We would ensure access to 4G at homes and would develop IT related infrastructures, and begin 5G this year. Development in the new era is prosperity of the IT sector,” he viewed.
Likewise, President of CAN Federation Sunaina Ghimire shared that immense opportunities are available within the country from some innovative ideas in the IT field.
Similarly, Secretary of Nepal Academy of Science and Technology Dr Rabindra Prasad Dhakal said the country needs engineers and expressed concerns to the outbound migration of youths. He shared that there are some promising youths doing creative works within the country thanks to the development of IT sector.
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