Foreign Minister Deuba Visits China to Prepare for PM Oli’s Upcoming Trip

Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba arrived in Chengdu, China, on Thursday to lay the groundwork for Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s official visit to China next week.

This marks Deuba’s first official trip to China since assuming office. Her visit is aimed at refining agendas and ensuring productive discussions for the high-profile bilateral engagement, which has garnered significant attention from domestic and international stakeholders.

Bilateral Talks with Wang Yi

On Friday, Deuba is set to meet with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. During the meeting, she will convey Nepal’s revised proposals for implementing projects under China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and update Wang on Nepal’s latest stance regarding the cooperation framework.

Prime Minister Oli’s visit, beginning on December 2, will involve an 87-member delegation, including government officials, private sector representatives, and other key figures. The Cabinet approved his trip on Thursday.

Key Delegation Members

The delegation features Foreign Minister Deuba, PM Oli’s spouse Radhika Shakya, two advisors, a private physician, senior government officials, and nine lawmakers. Business representatives and media personnel are also included. The group will fly to Beijing on a chartered flight via Himalaya Airlines.

Progress on BRI Negotiations

A focal point of the visit is Nepal’s revised Framework for Cooperation on Jointly Building the BRI, which was developed by a joint task force of the ruling Nepali Congress and UML. The updated text narrows the scope of cooperation, emphasizing Nepal’s preference for grants over loans for connectivity, infrastructure, and energy projects.

The revised framework, approved by Prime Minister Oli and Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, has been shared with Chinese counterparts for review. While the Chinese side expressed reservations over reduced project scopes and media hype in Nepal, negotiations remain ongoing.

Nepal’s Commitment to BRI

Minister Deuba assured that Nepal remains committed to the BRI, under which it joined in 2017, and aims to expedite selected projects. “There is no division within the ruling coalition on BRI; we are united in our vision for development cooperation,” she stated.

Officials hope to finalize the framework during Oli’s visit, with projects focusing on Nepal’s connectivity and socioeconomic priorities. The BRI project list, initially comprising 35 proposals, was reduced to nine at China’s request.

Geopolitical and Strategic Implications

As Nepal seeks to balance its development needs with geopolitical sensitivities, the outcomes of Oli’s visit are being closely monitored. Party leaders emphasize the importance of demonstrating Nepal’s commitment to the BRI while aligning the framework with the country’s financial and infrastructural capacities.

If successful, the visit could yield agreements to advance BRI initiatives, signaling a strengthened partnership between Nepal and China while addressing mutual concerns.