Photo: VCG

In recent years, the relationship between China and Nepal has evolved into a more robust, multi-dimensional partnership with cooperation spanning from cultural and aid-based ties to multi-dimensional interdependence, Sujata Koirala, leader of Nepali Congress Party and Nepal's former Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, told the Global Times. All major Nepali parties recognize China as an irreplaceable development partner, Sujata said.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Nepal. In December 2024, less than five months after being sworn in, Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, visited China.

During Oli's visit to China, the two countries signed a cooperation framework agreement to jointly advance the Belt and Road Initiative, pledging to strengthen practical cooperation in key areas such as the economy, finance, transportation, logistics, trade, and industrial investment. This was widely seen as another step forward in China-Nepal relations.

In March, at the invitation of the International Department of the Communist Party of China, Sujata led a delegation from the Nepali Congress on a visit to China. After the visit, she told Global Times that the people of Nepal deeply admire and respect China's development. Under the leadership of the CPC, China has achieved rapid economic growth, technological advancement, and significant improvements in living standards. Many Nepalese not only regard China as a "reliable development partner," but also as a source of inspiration for the South Asian country's own development path.

The Global Times noticed that during the interview, Sujata expressed a strong willingness and commitment to deepen cooperation with China.

She stated that with the support of the Belt and Road Initiative and cross-border railway projects, Nepal-China cooperation is evolving from traditional friendship into a comprehensive strategic partnership focused on infrastructure, trade, and connectivity.

"These initiatives can significantly contribute to Nepal's economic growth by enhancing our connectivity not only with China, but potentially with a wider regional network," Sujata said.

She believes that whether it's the ongoing Nepal-China cross-border railway project, China's hydropower investments in Nepal in recent years, or bilateral cooperation in the telecom sector, all serve the interests of both countries.

Sujata said that maintaining long-term relations with China has become a "national consensus" in Nepal, regardless of which political party is in power. While changes in government may lead to shifts in policy priorities or the pace of decision-making, they do not alter the country's overall commitment to strengthening ties with China. She emphasized that especially in areas such as economic cooperation, infrastructure development, and cultural exchange, deepening engagement with China goes beyond partisan divisions and enjoys broad support across the political spectrum.

"I believe there are three factors that sustain the Nepal-China cooperation," said Sujata. One is the project-level continuity, for instance, once agreements like the Pokhara International Airport enter implementation, they gain bureaucratic inertia that even opposition parties hesitate to reverse, Sujata said.

Second, it's the elite consensus: All major Nepali parties recognize China as an irreplaceable development partner, differing only on pace, not direction of engagement, she noted.

Third, it's subnational anchoring: There are multi-level engagements between the two countries. Like China's provincial-level diplomacy, Nepal's seven provinces now directly engage with local governments in Southwest China's Xizang and Yunnan on agriculture and tourism, creating multiple channels of stability, Sujata said

As a country situated between two major powers—China and India, Nepal's foreign policy orientation has long attracted outside attention. In recent years, with the US increasing its presence in South Asia, regional countries now face new challenges in maintaining independence and avoiding being drawn into great-power rivalries.

Sujata told the Global Times that maintaining a "balanced approach" with China, India, and all international partners is crucial for Nepal. "Our non-alignment policy is designed to protect our sovereignty and ensure that we benefit from the opportunities offered by various development partners," she said.

As such, Nepal has been striving to avoid becoming a "pawn" in major-power competition among powers like China, India, and the US, and instead seeks to maintain "constructive and transparent" cooperation with all three.

"Nepal can welcome Chinese infrastructure investment while keeping Indian markets accessible," Sujata said, noting that Nepal can invite Chinese tech firms and Indian pharma companies to jointly invest in Nepal's Special Economic Zones.

Nepal can also take cues from the ASEAN's centrality in Southeast Asia by strengthening regional cooperation organization like South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation to ensure no single power dominates regional discourse.

According to public media reports, in 2022, the Nepali Parliament approved the highly controversial Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) agreement signed with the US. Under the agreement, the US government pledged $500 million in "aid" for infrastructure development within Nepal. However, the US also claimed that the MCC was part of its so-called "Indo-Pacific Strategy."

Fearing that the agreement might draw Nepal into a military alliance with the US, the MCC sparked fierce debate within the country and led to a series of protests. In February, the current US administration ordered a suspension of most State Department foreign aid programs, putting the US-Nepal MCC agreement under serious uncertainty. Reports suggest that parts of the MCC projects may face indefinite delays.

Our overarching aim is to cultivate meaningful, mutually beneficial relationships with all countries that respect Nepal's sovereignty and contribute to our long-term development goals, Sujata said, adding that China is a neighbor, close friend and reliable development partner, and it is natural to look to China, to fill gaps or to expand cooperation.