An exhibitor (R) introduces Nepali products at the 7th China-South Asia Expo in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan province, Aug. 18, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

During his eight-day visit to China, Nepali Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda struck a landmark deal to deepen collaboration in a range of economic and connectivity domains, as well as taking part in a high-profile business summit on China-Nepal trade, investment, and infrastructure. The visit paved the way for a series of multi-sector cooperation agreements and a wide-ranging joint statement that committed to making economic globalization "more open, inclusive, balanced, and beneficial for all."

Nepal-China relations have been marked by a steady convergence of interests for nearly 70 years. On the economic front, Prachanda's visit successfully built on a series of earlier deals signed during Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's March visit, providing new growth points to advance the "China-Nepal Strategic Partnership of Cooperation." Prachanda's eight-day visit also marks six years since Nepal signed up for the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Framework. It is against this backdrop that engagements with top Chinese officials underscored high-level understandings of trademark initiatives, such as the Trans-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Connectivity Network. At the same time, optimism ran high to break new ground on trade and infrastructure projects for a shared and prosperous future. 

As a time-tested partner, Nepal has already expressed its hope to strengthen trade, tourism, and cultural cooperation with China's Tibet Autonomous Region. Platforms such as the fifth China Xizang Tourism and Culture Expo also serve as a melting pot for budding Nepalese enterprises to showcase complementarities in trade and market relations. The recent Nepal-China Business Summit built on that symbolism by commanding presence from around 200 business representatives and reinforcing China's commitment to accelerating Nepal's industrialization. Beijing says that China and Nepal have set an example of equal treatment and win-win cooperation between big and small countries. The two countries are partners and present opportunities to each other on their way to national development and prosperity.

As trusted strategic cooperative partners, Nepal and China have also demonstrated ample regard for one another's core national interests. Even before Prachanda's visit, Vice President Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav made it clear that Nepal would never serve as a base for anti-China activities. Top-level interactions clearly reinforce Kathmandu's unwavering commitment to the one-China principle, while Beijing continues to support key capacity-building needs in Nepal's development sector. In Premier Li Qiang's own telling, China has consistently emphasized a development path suited to Kathmandu's national conditions. Wide-ranging growth points in trade, agriculture, science, technology, digital economy, and low-carbon development carry that symbolism home.

Keen observers of the Belt and Road Initiative should expect sustained progress on the back of Prachanda's eight-day trip. Nestled between China and India, Nepal also represents a geographically significant location for the expansion of key BRI projects, making further headway on signature connectivity initiatives a promising point of focus. That includes the Trans-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Connectivity Network, an important component of the BRI that serves as a key reference point for accelerated progress in their joint statement. More importantly, the network envisions a whole chain of railways and communication channels to bolster win-win cooperation and support future regional connectivity. Stronger convergence on the Sino-Nepali cross-border railway project provides concrete evidence of streamlining logistics and facilitating market access to meet future demands. For land-locked Nepal, the development of the cross-border railway is also key to advancing future transport connectivity and logistics with China, a core consideration for delivering "greater benefits to their peoples."

Ultimately, Prachanda's trip is a timely reminder of the vast expanse of trade, economic, and political common ground between two decades-old partners. A stated desire to enhance "development strategy synergies" makes follow-up ministerial interactions likely, benefitting their strategic cooperative partnership in the process. 

Hannan R. Hussain is a foreign affairs commentator, author and recipient of the Fulbright Award. 

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.