Xizang Delegation Pays Courtesy Call on Foreign Minister Khanal, Connectivity and Investment Top Agenda

Kathmandu — A delegation led by His Excellency Mr. Zhao Peng, Vice Chairman of the People’s Government of the Xizang Autonomous Region of the People’s Republic of China, paid a courtesy call on Nepal’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Mr. Shisir Khanal, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday.

During the meeting, discussions were held on further strengthening relations and enhancing cooperation between Nepal and the People’s Republic of China, according to an official statement from the Foreign Ministry. The talks covered a broad range of areas including connectivity, infrastructure development, cross-border trade, investment, agriculture, tourism and people-to-people relations.

Views were also exchanged on advancing constructive and forward-looking cooperation in emerging sectors such as the digital economy, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), and hydropower. The discussions underscored the commitment of both sides to deepening the long-standing bilateral partnership and exploring new avenues of mutually beneficial collaboration.

The five-member delegation, which arrived in Kathmandu from Lhasa on Monday, includes members Pao Ting, Ta Chen, Ka Lie, Wu Kang and Sireng Yangjee. As Vice Chairman of a provincial-level government in China, Zhao holds a rank equivalent to that of a deputy minister.

On the same day, the delegation also paid a courtesy call on the Vice-Chairperson of the National Assembly, Lila Kumari Bhandari, at Singha Durbar, where discussions focused on Nepal-China relations, trade, tourism, agriculture, energy and inter-parliamentary cooperation. During that meeting, Vice-Chairperson Bhandari reiterated Nepal’s steadfast commitment to the One-China policy and assured that Nepali territory would not be allowed to be used against China.

The visit is being viewed as a significant step in revitalising Nepal-Xizang cooperation, particularly in the areas of border-centric collaboration, trade facilitation, tourism promotion and trans-Himalayan connectivity. However, no meeting between the delegation and Prime Minister Balendra Shah has been reported as of now.