October 1: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has returned home after an official visit to the United States of America and China. He returned home on Saturday after an eight-day visit to China.

A bilateral talks were held between the Nepali delegation led by Prime Minister Dahal and the delegation led his Chinese counterpart Li Qiang in the Chinese capital, Beijing during Dahal’s state visit. After the talks, a 13-point joint statement was also issued on September 26. According to Dahal, Nepal reaffirmed its policy on sensitive issues of its neighbors during the high-level bilateral talks.

“This has created an atmosphere of trust at the political level, leading to the prospect of bilateral cooperation in infrastructure development, trade, investment and people-to-people relations,'' he said at a press conference held at the Tribhuvan International Airport upon his return from China.

At the airport, the prime minister referred to many of the points mentioned in the statement as achievements of his visit, but he did not utter a single word about the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

The seventh point of the joint statement mentions that both countries are committed to the implementation of BRI and its plan will be completed as soon as possible. However, Prime Minister Dahal did not mention this issue in his speech which is considered as meaningful. Many expected that an important agreement would be reached during this visit, especially on projects under BRI, but it did not happen.

The prime minister mentioned that the issue of the construction of cross-border transmission line as the main achievement of his visit. In the seventh point of the joint statement of the two countries, it has been mentioned that the construction of the Kerung-Rasuwagadhi-Chilime 120 KV cross-border power transmission line will be started as soon as possible.

Prime Minister Dahal added that a positive discussion was held regarding direct flights from China to Pokhara International Airport and to increase flights between the two countries. He, however, did not disclose concrete progress on debt relief. Prime Minister Dahal said that discussions were held on increasing trade, investment, international transport network and economic and social partnership with China.

Prime Minister Dahal said that the Chinese side has agreed to start the fourth phase of Araniko Highway maintenance project according to the needs of Nepal.

According to him, there has been an agreement with China to proceed with the feasibility study of the Tokha-Chhare tunnel at a fast pace, and to speed up the implementation of the second phase of the Kathmandu Ring Road. Twelve memorandums of understanding were signed, including an agreement to hold the eighth meeting of the working group for Nepal-China railway cooperation soon.

Although Prime Minister Dahal said that there has been an agreement to open all the border crossings, such a matter was not mentioned anywhere in the joint statement.

According to Prime Minister Dahal, Nepal succeeded in presenting the challenges of least developed countries including Nepal regarding the implementation of sustainable development goals and the impact of climate change and to draw the attention of the world community to address these issues.