Hon. Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nepal,
H.E. Mr. Shanker Das Bairagi, Secretary of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal,
It’s my great honor to sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Government of Nepal on Cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, on behalf of the Chinese Government with H.E. Mr. Bairagi, the representative of the Nepali Government, at the witness of Hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Mahat.
Since China’s President Xi Jinping put forward the Belt and Road Initiative in 2013, the Initiative has got supports from more than 100 countries and international organizations. More than 40 countries and international organizations have signed cooperation agreements with China. The Government of Nepal has expressed its support and expectation to the Belt and Road Initiative. The MOU signed today by China and Nepal will further promote the bilateral cooperation.
The Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) will be held in Beijing on 14 May 2017, Rt. Hon. Mr. Krishna Bahadur Mahara, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Hon. Mr. Surendra Kumar Karki, Minister for Information and Communication, and Hon. Mr. Ramesh Lekhak, Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport of Nepal will attend the High-Level Dialogue of the Forum. China looks forward to working with all parties to take the Belt and Road Initiative forward to lay a solid foundation for boosting the world economic, and foster greater connectivity for world economic growth and deepen regional cooperation.
The Initiative is not going to be China’s solo Show. A better analogy would be that of a symphony performed by an orchestra composed of all participating countries. The Initiative as a major international public goods provided by China, will explore ways to address problems facing global and regional economy, create fresh energy for pursuing interconnected development. The Chinese Initiative is delivering benefits to the whole world.
To promote Belt and Road Initiative, we are committed to the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits. Openness, inclusiveness and mutual benefit are the defining features of the Initiative. The Initiative is not only open to the countries in the region, but also open to the countries outside the region who are interested in it.
Belt and Road Initiative will bring new opportunities for China-Nepal cooperation and South Asia development. The Embassy of China in Nepal is willing to work closely with Foreign Ministry and relevant authorities of Nepal to promote the development of China-Nepal bilateral cooperation.
(Remarks by H.E. Ambassador Yu Hong at the Signing Ceremony of Memorandum of Understanding
between the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Government of Nepal on Cooperation Under the Belt and Road Initiative on May 12, 2017 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kathmandu)