China offers $119 million in aid to Nepal

[JAYRAM]

By THIRA BHUSAL, Associated Press – 8 hours ago
KATMANDU, Nepal (AP) — China on Saturday agreed to provide Nepal with $119 million in aid during a surprise visit to the tiny Himalayan nation by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.

Tirtha Wagle, the Nepalese foreign ministry spokesman, said the countries signed agreements under which Beijing will provide economic and technical assistance and strengthen Nepal's police. Nepal is home to thousands of Tibetan exiles, and the government has worked to suppress anti-China sentiment there.

Wen had planned to visit Nepal last month, but that trip was canceled for undisclosed reasons. This visit came ahead of a Middle East trip by the premier, and was kept secret until a few hours before he arrived.

China has built highways and financed other development projects in Nepal, which is looking for increased financial assistance and investment as it recovers from years of insurgency and political uncertainty.

Nepal is looking for China's help in developing a small airport at Pokhara, a tourist resort, into an international airport, and in building mountain highways and a hydropower plant.

China's major concern in Nepal has been its thousands of Tibetan refugees, who want independence from China and the return of their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, who fled Tibet amid an abortive uprising against Chinese rule in 1959. Thousands more Tibetans pass through Nepal every year on their way to India, where the Dalai Lama lives in exile.

Nepal's government has previously blocked Tibetan exiles from demonstrating against China, and police have detained some protesters. With security tight in the Nepalese capital on Saturday, there were no reports of protests.

Wen held talks Saturday with Nepal's prime minister and met with Nepalese President Ram Baran Yadav, Sushil Koirala of the Nepali Congress and Pushpa Kamal Dahal of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist).

(This version updates with Nepalese foreign ministry spokesman correcting the Chinese aid figure to $119 million.)

The Associated Press: China offers $119 million in aid to Nepal

 

[JAYRAM]

Chinese premier visits Nepal

Utpal Parashar, Hindustan Times

Kathmandu, January 14, 2012

First Published: 21:18 IST(14/1/2012)

Last Updated: 00:25 IST(15/1/2012)

Less than a month after postponing his trip, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao made a sudden stopover in Nepal on Saturday on way to a six-day visit to the Middle East.

Wen landed at the Tribhuwan International Airport at 11.45am on an Air China Boeing 747 and departed for Qatar later in the afternoon.

During the stay he held discussions with President Ram Baran Yadav, Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai and other political leaders. The two sides signed eight agreements on infrastructure development.

The Chinese delegation agreed to provide a one-time grant of US $20 million for Nepal's peace process. There were also assurances on increase of annual grant from Beijing for development of hydro-power projects, airports, roads and other infrastructure.

In a joint statement, the two sides stated that Wen's visit has taken Nepal-China relations to a "new height" and it served as a "milestone".

On its part Nepal reiterated its One China policy and the Chinese committed not to interfere in the Himalayan nation's internal affairs.

Wen's visit was a closely guarded secret and Nepal government and Chinese embassy officials had declined to confirm it till Friday evening. Details of his trip were also not available.

"The surreptitious handling of the whole affair dampens the spirit of friendship and sends out a message that something is amiss," the 'Republica' wrote in its editorial on Saturday.

Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Yang Houlan had informed Bhattarai about the brief visit during a meeting on Thursday.

The trip is the second most high profile visit by a Chinese leader in over a decade since Premier Zhu Rongji came here in 2001.

Wen was scheduled to visit Nepal last month, but the trip was postponed at the last minute following speculation about security concerns and possible protests by Tibetan exiles based in Nepal.

It was also reported that Chinese authorities were upset with Bhattarai for disclosing dates of the proposed visit without Beijing officially making any such announcement.

Nepali officials however stated that the visit was postponed due to Wen's busy "internal" commitments.


Chinese premier visits Nepal - Hindustan Times

 

[Ray]

Good for China!