Nepal objects to China-India agreement on making Lipulekh a trade route – myRepublica – The New York Times Partner, Latest news of Nepal in English, Latest News Articles

KATHMANDU, Aug 31: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli raised Nepal’s objection to the agreement between India and China to turn Lipulekh, which he said is a Nepali territory, into a trade corridor. In a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Oli made clear that Lipulekh belongs to Nepal and expressed dissatisfaction on behalf of his government over the deal.

Nepal reminded both sides that, under the 1816 Treaty of Sugauli, Lipulekh is Nepali land. During the bilateral talks at the guest house in Tianjin on Saturday, Oli cited historical facts and evidence to stress that Limpiyadhura, Kalapani, and Lipulekh, all east of the Mahakali River, are sovereign parts of Nepal. “The Prime Minister clarified that all lands east of the Mahakali belong to Nepal under the Sugauli Treaty of 1816, and registered Nepal’s objection to the India-China deal,” Foreign Secretary Amrit Rai said.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Oli also reminded Xi that the treaty clearly established Nepal’s sovereignty over the region. The meeting, described as cordial and bilateral, covered friendship and cooperation between Nepal and China in multiple areas. Both sides agreed to activate existing mechanisms to strengthen cooperation.

The Prime Minister’s Office added that Oli explicitly objected to the India-China deal on Lipulekh during the meeting, expressing his expectation that China would support Nepal’s position. He said Nepal has full faith that China will cooperate on this matter.

Foreign Secretary Rai confirmed that the two leaders also discussed ways to deepen friendly ties and cooperation. Oli is currently in China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit. The meeting with Xi was held on the sidelines of the summit. Earlier, Nepal had already sent diplomatic notes to both India and China on August 21, objecting to their agreement to conduct trade through the Lipulekh Pass. Parliament had also raised objections.

Oli expressed satisfaction after meeting Xi. “I am happy to have met President Xi for the second consecutive year and to have held fruitful bilateral talks,” Oli wrote on X, adding that they reviewed progress on various issues and agreed to further strengthen bilateral cooperation. He thanked Xi for inviting him to the “SCO Plus Summit.”

Prakash Silwal from the Prime Minister’s Secretariat said that in response to Oli’s objection, Xi stated that China holds no position different from Nepal’s claim, and hoped that Nepal and India would discuss and resolve the matter. According to Secretary Rai, the meeting also touched on expediting Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects to contribute to Nepal’s economic and social development.

Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had already issued a statement on August 20, declaring its position against the India-China Lipulekh deal and sent diplomatic notes the next day. Nepal maintains that Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh, and Kalapani are integral parts of Nepal and has urged India not to build roads, expand infrastructure, or conduct border trade in the area. “The government is clear that Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh, and Kalapani east of the Mahakali River are integral to Nepal, as reflected in the official map included in the Constitution of Nepal,” the ministry stated.

Nepal has repeatedly reminded India not to carry out construction or border trade in the disputed region, stressing that issues must be resolved through diplomacy based on history, treaties, maps, and evidence. The same diplomatic note also highlighted that Nepal had informed China back in 2015 that the area in question is Nepali territory, asking it to respect this fact. The ministry said the matter was again raised with priority during Oli’s current China visit.

This is Oli’s fourth official visit to China as Prime Minister. Those present in his meeting with Xi included former Deputy Prime Minister and MP Purna Bahadur Khadka, Education Minister Raghuji Pant, Culture and Tourism Minister Badri Prasad Pandey, former Finance Minister and Oli’s economic adviser Yubaraj Khatiwada, MP Chhabilal Bishwakarma, Foreign Secretary Amrit Rai, Nepal’s Ambassador to China Krishna Prasad Oli, and Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Chen Song.

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