Senior officials from Nepal and China reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral ties in Beijing but failed to mention that the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Global Security Initiative (GSI) were also discussed.
In a statement issued by the Nepali side on Friday evening upon completion of the 15th meeting of the Bilateral Diplomatic Consultation Mechanism between the Foreign Ministries of Nepal and China, there was no mention of discussions about BRI and GSI.
Nepal and China had signed the BRI agreement some six years ago but it has failed to make any tangible progress.
Beijing recently came up with the new security architecture named GSI and is pushing Nepal to support it but Nepal has not responded yet.
Both sides took stock of the existing Nepal-China bilateral relations and cooperation and deliberated on the ways to further expanding and consolidating cooperation in various areas, including the exchange of bilateral visits; economic cooperation; promotion of trade, investment and tourism; building connectivity; and strengthening cooperation in the fields of agriculture, education, culture and people-to-people relations, among others, according to a statement issued by the Nepal Embassy in Beijing said.
The two sides discussed promoting people to people contacts and cultural cooperation, increasing the number of scholarships to Nepali students and professionals, capacity development of technical experts, among others.
The meeting also reviewed the progress of different infrastructure development projects under China's grant assistance as well as Chinese-contracted projects and agreed to expedite the implementation of the projects so as to complete them in time.
With a view to reduce trade deficit, Nepal's Foreign Secretary Bharat Raj Paudyal proposed for preferential treatment to Nepali primary products such as tea, coffee, herbal products, cooked buffalo meat, and other agricultural products.
The Chinese side agreed to encourage Chinese investors to make investments in mutually beneficial areas, according to the statement.
On the occasion, the two sides reviewed the cooperation between the two countries at the multilateral forums, including in the UN, and exchange of mutual support to each other's candidatures.
They also discussed the importance of implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the usefulness of the GDI to promote the SDG agenda.
Vice Foreign Minister of China Sun Weidong led the delegation from the Chinese side.
During the meeting, Paudyal appreciated the government of China for enlisting Nepal as one of the outbound destination countries for group tourism.
The Vice Minister of China admired Nepal's consistent adherence to one China policy and respect for the five principles of peaceful coexistence.
Paudyal appreciated the Chinese policy of non-interference and respect for Nepal's sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence, reads the statement by the Nepali side.
'My name is the guarantee of security in the country', PM Modi says in Karnataka
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that his name is the guarantee of security in the country, adding it was his primary duty to protect the citizens of the nation.
9 held for gang rape of minors in Meghalaya
Nine persons were arrested by the police in connection with the rape of minor girls in the South West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya, officials said on Sunday.
Indian Coast Guard apprehends Pakistani boat with huge consignment of narcotics
In a major success, the Indian Coast Guard, following an overnight aerial-maritime joint operation with the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), on Sunday apprehended a Pakistan boat in the Arabian Sea, west of Gujarat's Porbandar, and seized a large haul of narcotics.
Decision to build Ram Mandir in Ayodhya should have been taken on next day of Independence, PM Modi says in K'taka
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that the decision to build Ram Mandir in Ayodhya should have been taken the very next day after the country achieved Independence in 1947.
Rahul slams BJD-BJP in Odisha rally, says both in collusion to benefit few corporates
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, stepping up the party’s campaign in Odisha on Sunday lashed out at the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD government and the opposition BJP while accusing them of having ‘married’ each other for personal gains and befooling the public.
PM Modi has already scored a century in first two phases of LS polls: Amit Shah
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Sunday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had already scored a century of seats in the first two phases of Lok Sabha polls.
Govt extends shutdown of schools in Tripura till May 1, heat wave alert extends
In view of the intense heat wave, the Tripura government has announced an extension of shutdown of all government aided schools and privately managed schools till May 1 next.
Despite having a woman CM, females in West Bengal most unsafe: JP Nadda
BJP national president J. P. Nadda on Sunday launched a blistering attack on the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal, saying that despite having a woman chief minister, females in the state are most unsafe.