The first edition of One Belt One Road Nepal Conference 2017 concluded with 8-point declaration here in Kathmandu on Thursday.
One Belt One Road (OBOR), also known as Belt and Road initiative, is a strategy and framework proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping after taking the helm of Chinese leadership in 2013. The strategy focuses on connectivity and cooperation of China with the Eurasian region.
Foreign Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat, who was invited as a chief guest in the conference organised by BP Koirala School of Public Policy, said, “We are committed to strategic cooperation and enhancement of connectivity. However, China needs to understand that Nepal has a geopolitical complexity. Nepal is committed to One China Policy.”
A statement released after the programme read, “China has been promoting OBOR as an economic tool for promoting its external goals and has been reaching out to several countries.” It is learnt that the OBOR has become a crucial factor in determining China’s foreign policy goals.
Like the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), China has also been floating the idea of China Nepal Economic Corridor that eventually can be converted into a corridor turning the concept of China-Nepal-India trilateral cooperation into a reality, the statement said.
“Nepal is a gateway for China to enter the South Asia and hence we cannot undermine the role of Nepal in fulfilling the core motive of One Belt One Road initiative. OBOR goal is to connect governments, infrastructure and people,” said Li Tao, Executive Director of South Asia Studies at Sichuan University, who was one of the key note speakers during the conference.
Another prominent speaker during the programme, Rajesh Kaji Shrestha, President of Nepal Chamber of Commerce, said, “For enhancing trade, connectivity and business, there is a need for establishing a bank with Chinese joint venture in Nepal. This is a prerequisite for taking Nepal - China relationship to greater heights.”
Kathmandu deceleration
1st OBOR-Nepal Conference 2017
The One Belt One Road (OBOR) - Nepal Conference 2017 was held in Kathmandu on January 19th. In line with the discussion and deliberation, at the conference, the delegates unanimously adopt the following declaration:
1. We urge the government of Nepal and China to play a proactive role on the establishment of people-to-people communication. Nepal can develop as a bridge between China and South Asia and better connectivity among people can ease the complexities. Cultural exchanges will better their understanding of each other.
2. The development of international situation and improvement of China-India relation highlights Nepal’s geo-strategic advantage in OBOR initiative and the concept of China-Nepal-India framework. We seek active participation of China and India for turning the concept of trilateral cooperation into reality. In the era of globalization the mentality of zero-sum game should be given up. The trilateral collaboration can turn Kathmandu into Brussels of South Asia.
3. A stable and prosperous Nepal will not only benefit China and India, but the entire South Asia. We seek active participation of countries from South Asia to play a role in integrating and enhancing the entire region.
4. We urge the government of Nepal and China to work on the development of Nepal – China Economic Corridor. The economic interest and benefits initially might look small, but holds unlimited possibilities with Nepal being located between China and India having billion plus population.
5. We emphasize the necessity of private sector of Nepal and China to forge strategic partnership through the medium of trade. Increase in trade volume can play a role of catalyst in prompting both the government stand in a common page of development.
6. The discussion and deliberation during the conference shows that the two country (Nepal and China) still need to do a lot in the front of public diplomacy. The geographical adversities should be challenged through the formation and close coordination of knowledge partners. We recommend establishment of institutions that can connect people of the two nations for a shared prosperity.
7. Nepal being the birth place of Buddha and China having a huge population having belief over Buddhism, we believe, religion can play significant role over enhancement of tourism, thus helping common people to have better understanding of each other.
8. We call upon stakeholders and interest groups to give continuity to forums as such for creating a meaningful dialogue and discourse. We propose the OBOR – Nepal Conference be held in an annual basis to make sure that the initiative succeeds in its intention of reminding the authorities of similar declarations and understandings forged in the past.
19°C Kathmandu
