Nepal Pushes Trans-Himalayan Railway And BRI Cooperation In High-Stakes China Dialogue

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal held comprehensive talks in Beijing on Monday, reviewing the full spectrum of bilateral ties, including connectivity, trade, border management, technology cooperation and regional multilateral coordination.

Khanal, who arrived in China on a four-day visit beginning June 14 after a recent trip to India, also met senior Chinese Communist Party officials during his stay and engaged with business and investment stakeholders, according to official and media reports.

During the talks, Wang Yi reiterated that China attaches high priority to relations with Nepal in its neighbourhood diplomacy and remains committed to supporting Nepal’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. He said Beijing would continue assisting Nepal in pursuing a development path suited to its national conditions and strengthening high-quality Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) cooperation .

China also expressed readiness to expand cooperation in infrastructure sectors such as power grids, highways, aviation networks and border ports, with an aim to help transform Nepal from a landlocked to a land-linked economy , according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Khanal expressed appreciation for China’s long-standing development assistance and reaffirmed Nepal’s commitment to the one-China principle , while also pledging that Nepal would not allow its territory to be used against Chinese interests. He added that China’s development presents economic opportunities for Nepal.

Nepalese media reports said Khanal proposed the development of four cross-border corridors linking northern Nepal to the mid-hills, including a trans-Himalayan railway project , along with expanded air connectivity from western Nepal.

The visit is seen as politically significant following Nepal’s recent electoral shift, which reduced the dominance of traditional communist parties that had previously deepened ties with Beijing through large-scale infrastructure and BRI projects.

China also raised concerns over Western engagement in Nepal, particularly the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) agreement and the State Partnership Programme, which Beijing views as potential strategic influence tools in the region.

Discussions additionally touched on the Pokhara International Airport project, where Khanal clarified that a corruption case involving a Chinese national is a judicial matter and not linked to the government.