KATHMANDU, May 3 (Xinhua) -- Nepali Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali said President Bidya Devi Bhandari's recent visit to China helped consolidate ties between the two countries and push forward the bilateral cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Gyawali, who accompanied the president during her state visit to China, expressed happiness over the inclusion of Nepal-China Trans-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Connectivity Network and Nepal-China cross-border railway in the Second Belt and Road Forum Joint Communique.
The joint communique issued by the Leaders' Roundtable of the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) included these two mega projects on the list of economic corridors.
Leading a high-profile delegation, Nepali President Bhandari attended the leaders' roundtable meeting at the BRF last week in Beijing.
The foreign minister told local media that the meeting in Beijing has contributed to deepening cooperation between the two countries in multiple areas including rail and road connectivity, border facilities, infrastructure development, trade and exchange of high-level visits.
"During the talks in Beijing, it was agreed that the two countries will further consolidate their ties and push forward the bilateral cooperation under the framework of BRI," Gyawali told reporters at his ministry on Thursday.
He said that the two governments gave high importance to the visit of President Bhandari to China.
"This was the first state visit of the Nepali head of the state to China since Nepal became Federal Democratic Republic. It will hold a special significance in the history of the Republic Nepal," the foreign minister said.
Gyawali also noted that the two countries signed seven agreements including the protocol of Nepal-China Transit Transport Agreement (TTA).
"Landlocked country Nepal will be able to conduct third country trade via Chinese sea and land ports in coming days. It helps to diversify the country's trade," the foreign minister said while highlighting the importance of the TTA that was initially signed in 2016 during the visit of Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to Beijing.
