Chinese Defence Minister’s visit expected to be fruitful in enhancing bilateral military cooperation

Kathmandu : The one-day visit of State Councilor and Defence Minister of the People’s Republic of China, Mr Wei Fenghe, to Nepal on Sunday is expected to be fruitful in further consolidating the defence relations and promoting bilateral military cooperation between Nepal and China.

The Chinese Defence Minister is visiting Nepal at the invitation of then Defence Minister of Nepal. This visit is taken to be meaningful in the present changed context of the centuries old problem-free Nepal-China relations.  The visit of the Defence Minister from the northern neighbour should not be taken as anything unusual in the light of Nepali Defence Minister visiting China two times before this.

State Councilor and Defence Minister Wei, who is leading a 21-member delegation, will arrive in Kathmandu by a special plane on Sunday. He will remain in Kathmandu for eight hours and in course of his stay here pay separate courtesy calls on President Bidya Devi Bhandari and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli who is also looking after the Defence portfolio.

The Chinese Defence Minister will hold bilateral meeting with Chief of the Army Staff Purna Chandra Thapa as well. Although the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has called Mr Wei this visit a working visit, it can be taken as a goodwill visit. By deepening bilateral cooperation and partnership for common interests and shared future, this visit will provide assurance on security issues and solicit the wants and needs of each other, besides providing appropriate opportunities for renewed relations and friendship.

The high-level visit from Chinese side taking place almost after a year of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state-visit to Nepal has renewed China’s priority to Nepal. The age-old relations between Nepal and China have steadily progressed after the formal diplomatic ties in 1955 while the tradition of friendly assistance and exchanges of such visits have further deepened our mutual relations.

The visit from Chinese State Councilor and the Minister of National Defence of the People’s Republic of China General Wei Fenghe during the time of COVID-19 not only demonstrates Beijing’s top priority to Nepal but also shows immense love to Nepal and Nepalis– the epitome of peaceful co-existence.  The purpose of the visit could be holding talks on implementation of the assistance projects under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to expand vital structures including ports, roads, railways, aviation and communications in the Trans-Himalaya Multi-Dimensional Connectivity Network.

Mr Wei’s visit is in line with President Xi’s visit to Nepal last year and views expressed by him during the time. This visit will help further the relations based on peaceful co-existence in accordance with the UN Charter, good neighbourliness, and strategic partnership between China and Nepal for the development and prosperity.

The Minister will hold discussions with high level political leadership of Nepal on various issues including Nepal’s commitments on ‘One China policy’, monitoring of Tibetan refugees in Nepal, not to permit Nepali territory to be used against China, border security among others. The meetings will further dwell on exchanging information, enhancing security mechanism of countries, joint military exercises, bilateral security support, continuing support including earlier declared150 million RMB support to Nepali side.

It is believed that the visiting Minister will hold discussions with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli who is taking charge of the Defence Ministry, on topics such as exchange of visits from high level security officials, cooperation in minimizing natural disaster risk, among others.