Consul General of the Consulate General of Nepal in Guangzhou Bharat Khanal Photo: Courtesy of the Consulate General of Nepal in Guangzhou

Consul General of the Consulate General of Nepal in Guangzhou Bharat Khanal told the Global Times in a written interview that the unprecedented achievements and experience China has gained in recent years in the areas of high-quality development, smart and sustainable construction, production capacity development, tourism, modernization of agriculture, and management of natural resources are remarkable. Consul General Khanal noted that academic collaboration, more engagements with educational institutions, cultural exchanges, and Chinese language training in Nepal will benefit both countries.

A reception in Beijing to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Nepal was jointly hosted by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the Embassy of Nepal in China on July 30. 

This is an important occasion for both countries as it is a celebration of friendship, cooperation, and people-to-people ties that have flourished over seven decades. Collaboration in the areas of science, technology innovation, research, and sharing of best practices will help benefit both countries, Consul General Khanal said. 

As of August 2024, more than 5,000 people had enrolled at the Confucius Institute at Kathmandu University, the first Confucius Institute in Nepal, to learn Chinese, according to a People's Daily report. To meet the growing demand of Nepali people wishing to learn Chinese, the university has opened 31 teaching sites across the country, including four classrooms for primary and secondary school students, plus six classes in Kathmandu, capital of Nepal, the report said. 

China and Nepal will continue to harness the China Culture Center, Confucius Institutes, and Confucius Classrooms in Nepal to promote China-Nepal cultural exchanges and cooperation, and support Chinese language education in Nepal. China welcomes and encourages more outstanding Nepali students to study in China, according to a joint statement signed by both countries' government in Beijing in December 2024.

Nepal has immense goodwill for the accelerated economic development of China. Nepal signed the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) agreement with China in 2017 and BRI Implementation Framework Agreement in 2024. Several projects have been identified under this framework agreement. Through detailed study in feasible investable projects in sectors of agriculture, manufacturing, online business, finance, minerals, storage, and infrastructure, both countries can greatly benefit. Nepal has attached great importance to BRI cooperation, seeking to promote cross-border trade with China through land routes.

Nepal and China agreed on the construction of a cross-border railway line in June 2018. The Nepal-China railway is set to link Kathmandu with Southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region. The relations are marked by mutual trust, goodwill, and understanding between the two countries, said the consul general.

Both countries are linked by mountains and rivers as well as by culture, civilization, and people-to-people exchanges. China and Nepal have also declared the Year 2025 as the Nepal Visit Year in China to celebrate this joyous occasion and promote tourism in Nepal.

From his point of view, Nepal and China have common goals and interests to deal with the global challenge of climate change. 

Mountains are highly vulnerable to climate change, and their ecosystems play a critical role in global water resources, biodiversity, and cultural heritage. Nepal needs support from China to adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change. China can help Nepal through the sharing of best practices and technology to adopt to climate Change. Nepal can be the best platform and an important venue for regional climate initiatives, the consul general said. 

Energy development is another important area of Nepal. Nepal is rich in hydro power. Many Chinese companies have invested in the hydro sector in Nepal. Nepal needs huge foreign investment and the latest technology to develop the clean energy sector.

Chinese expertise in developing solar power in Nepal will be a great asset. Nepal-China can collaborate in energy infrastructure such as transmission lines. Chinese electric vehicles have rapidly increased in Nepal these days using a lot of clean energy, the consul general said.