Experts call for clear national agenda in PM Oli’s upcoming China visit

Kathmandu, November 16 — Ahead of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s upcoming visit to China, experts have suggested that a single national agenda should be established for the trip. Speaking at a discussion on Nepal-China bilateral relations, organized by Friends of China in Kathmandu on Saturday, experts emphasized the need for one clear goal to focus on during the visit.

They pointed out that previous visits by Nepalese prime ministers had often been marred by a lack of focus, with national priorities and agendas becoming muddled. This time, they cautioned, the visit should be strategically focused and should aim to learn from China’s experience for the benefit of Nepal.

One key area of focus, according to experts, should be attracting Chinese investment, especially in sectors like education, where China’s model and experience could help make Nepal an educational hub. They also suggested that promoting innovation and collaboration with China in areas like electric vehicles should be prioritized.

Keshav Sigdel, a professor at Tribhuvan University, noted that economic cooperation should be the top priority for the visit. He emphasized the importance of seeking China’s support for innovative projects and initiatives to help develop industries in Nepal, which could create job opportunities and prevent the migration of youth abroad.

Sigdel further explained, “While we already import a large amount from China, the question is: what kind of economic cooperation can we seek from them? China is the largest producer of electric vehicles in the world. We should ask them to set up a small manufacturing plant here, which would create jobs for our youth and reduce their need to migrate abroad.”

Bikram Timilsina, another scholar, stressed the importance of goodwill and trust in strengthening Nepal-China relations. He argued that a successful visit should be based on fostering mutual trust, which would lead to stronger and more fruitful ties between the two countries. He also mentioned that Nepal should look to China for lessons in development and infrastructure building.

He added, “When our Prime Minister goes on such visits, he must bring goodwill and trust with him. This trust and goodwill are what will strengthen relations and allow us to benefit from China’s experience in development.”

Bipin Dev, a professor at Tribhuvan University, echoed similar views, suggesting that the prime minister’s visit should aim to establish a national goal. He proposed that Nepal should learn from China’s educational model and work towards making Nepal an educational hub in the region. He also called for the focus to be on attracting Chinese investment to help boost Nepal's economy.

Bhuwan Pathak, the Speaker of the Bagmati Province Assembly, also spoke at the event and acknowledged that it was natural for Nepalis to have high expectations from the Prime Minister's visit to China. However, he criticized the idea of prioritizing the loan waiver for the Pokhara International Airport, which had been discussed in the media, calling it an issue that should not be on the agenda.

He said, “It’s natural for people to have high hopes when the Prime Minister visits a neighboring country like China. There’s been talk in the media about prioritizing the loan waiver for Pokhara International Airport, but I believe this should not be the focus. Our diplomacy and foreign ministry should have a clear priority, and there seems to be confusion on this front.”

Pathak further argued that the government's priorities should be aligned with the realities of Nepal’s diplomatic needs, and that more focus should be placed on strengthening relations with China in a structured and clear way.