Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou (R) shakes hands with Nepal's Foreign Secretary Shanker DAS Bairagi before the 11th meeting of Nepal-China Joint Consultation Mechanism held at the office of Foreign Ministry at Singhadurbar in Kathmandu, Nepal, June 20, 2017. (Xinhua/Sunil Sharma)
China and Nepal on Tuesday pledged to further deepen their mutually beneficial cooperation in all fields.
At the 11th round of diplomatic consultations, Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou said China and Nepal are traditional, good neighbors and the two countries have fostered time-tested friendship.
Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 1955, China and Nepal have set a good example in forging ties between the countries of different sizes and different social systems based on equal treatment and mutual respect, Kong said.
China appreciates the Nepali government's adherence to the one-China policy, said Kong, adding that China will, as always, support Nepal's efforts in safeguarding national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Noting that Nepal is at the key stage of political and economic transformation, Kong said China will continue to uphold the principle of non-interference in its internal affairs and is willing to provide assistance within its ability for Nepal's socio-economic development.
Regarding Nepal as an important partner in building the Belt and Road, China, with the guidance of the consensus reached between the leaders of the two countries and within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, is willing to align development strategies between the two sides and further deepen mutually beneficial cooperation so as to better benefit the two peoples and create more opportunities for the development of the two sides, he said.
For his part, Nepal's Foreign Secretary Shanker DAS Bairagi said his country treats China as a great neighbor and a great friend, and the two countries have forged solid ties based on the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence.
Attaching great importance to developing ties with China, Nepal has been upholding the one-China policy and will never allow any forces to use its soils to conduct anti-China activities, the foreign secretary said.
Nepal highly appreciates China's non-interference in its internal affairs as well as China's full respect and understanding of its political process, Bairagi said.
Nepal supports the Belt and Road Initiative and will take an active part in building the China-proposed initiative, said Bairagi, adding his country is also willing to earnestly implement the consensus reached between leaders of the two countries.
The two sides also explored the potential in cooperation in the fields including high-level exchanges, trade and investment, communication and connectivity, energy and post-disaster reconstruction.
