China calls on India to get on board with Nepal projects
Foreign minister says Beijing and New Delhi should support the Himalayan country’s development, and the three are ‘natural friends and partners’
China has called on India to get involved in its connectivity projects with Nepal, saying they should both support the landlocked nation’s development in an apparent bid to play down concerns over rivalry between the two Asian giants.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is also state councillor, made the remarks on Wednesday after meeting his Nepali counterpart Pradeep Kumar Gyawali, who is visiting Beijing until Saturday.
Nepal, traditionally part of India’s sphere of influence, has increasingly been caught between the two nations – especially since an election last year that saw pro-China leaders take power in Kathmandu.
The Himalayan country has long depended on its southern neighbour India for trade and fuel. But the growing number of Chinese projects in Nepal – including an international airport in Pokhara, two special economic zones, road and rail projects, and hydropower facilities – is causing unease in New Delhi as its influence wanes in South Asia.
