China to Pay Nepal to Keep Tibetan Dissenters at Bay
Firming up ties with Nepal, Chinese President Xi Jinping has pledged NRs 14.5 billion to Nepal for transport and infrastructure building as Kathmandu promised to keep up the crackdown on Tibetans supporting the Dalai Lama.
Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the 900 million RMB (NRs 14.5 billion) economic aid package for Nepal during his meeting with Nepal President Ram Baran Yadav on the sidelines of Boao Forum for Asia in Hainan Province in China yesterday, Nepal Foreign Ministry officials said.
“China appreciates Nepal’s firm support on issues concerning China’s core interests, including issues related to Tibet and Taiwan,” Xi said, apparently referring to Kathmandu’s crackdown on Tibetan refugees crossing over to meet the Dalai Lama at Dharamshala in India.
Xi hoped that Nepal would not allow any forces to use Nepal’s territory to engage in anti-China separatist activities.
He said China will continue to support Nepal’s effort in safeguarding independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Yadav said Nepal would never allow its territory to be used by any anti-China activities.
The assistance will be used to upgrade the 115-km Araniko Highway that links Nepal with China, and to develop the transport infrastructure, foreign ministry sources said here.
China is also willing to initiate talks on Free Trade Agreement with Nepal at an early date, Xi said, adding that the two countries should work on traffic interconnectivity, infrastructure, hydro power development, modernisation of agriculture and science and technology.
Xi welcomed Nepal’s participation in the Silk Road projects unveiled by him at the forum to improve China’s connectivity to Europe through a maze of road, rail and port network.
The two sides are also planning to beef up the connectivity with rail and road links, amid concerns in India over China’s growing influence in the Himalayan country.
Early this month, China had increased its annual aid to Nepal to USD 128 million from USD 24 million.
