Nepal Foreign Affairs (Kathmandu, Dec. 29)–China is all set to provide additional grant fuel to Nepal to help it cope with acute fuel shortages.
It will be the second time to Nepal to get fuel from China after an unofficial blockade imposed by India following the country promulgated the new constitution on Sept 20.
“The Chinese leaders agreed to offer a fuel of worth 10 million RMB in near future,” Foreign Minister Kamal Thapa said at the Tribhuwan International Airport on Tuesday following a six-day official visit to China.
Earlier, China provided 1000 metric tons of fuel to Nepal to help ease the fuel crisis.
Thapa said his visit was productive in terms of taking Nepal-China bilateral relations to a new high. “I believe that this visit has prepared a ground to create a comprehensive framework on economic cooperation between Nepal and China,” the minister said.
Officials of Nepal and China discussed about possibilities of signing a Transit Treaty, Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (BIPPA), Free Trade Agreement (FTA), Commercial Fuel Agreement, the minister said.
According to Thapa, Chinese side has extended invitation to Nepal’s Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli to pay an official visit to China at the earliest date.
During Thapa’s visit to China, the countries also agreed to revitalize nine border points aiming to boost the economic cooperation.
The crippling blockade imposed by India is leading Nepal to a humanitarian crisis due to obstruction of fuel, essential supplies and life-saving medicines to Nepal at the India-Nepal border points.