Expressing serious concern and reservation over the Sino-Indian agreement on expanding border trade at Qiangla/Lipu-Lekh Pass, which Nepal government claims to be the part of its far-western territory, the House panel termed the deal as “dominating attitude” of two Asian giants towards their neighbour.

In a joint statement issued on May 15 in Beijing during Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi’s visit to China, the two countries have agreed to expand border trade at Qiangla/Lipu-Lekh Pass, a far western point of Nepal, which the Nepal government claims to be a part of its territory.

The 28th point of the joint communiqué states that “the two sides agreed to hold negotiation on augmenting the list of traded commodities, and expand border trade at Nathu La, Qiangla/Lipu-Lekh Pass and Shipki La.”

Lipu-Lekh, also known as tri-corner, is the last point of Nepal’s border with China and India and used to be an ancient route for traders and pilgrims transiting between Nepal and Tibet.

A Nepal-China boundary agreement signed three and a half decades ago has also recognised that Kalapani, an area beyond the origin of the Mahakali river and

Lipu-Lekh, lies inside Nepali territory.

Responding to the parliamentarians’ queries, Foreign Minister Mahendra Bahadur Pandey said that his ministry had already drawn attention of India and China through diplomatic channels and that some development regarding the pact would come out soon. “Though it was a sensitive matter, all outcomes and

diplomatic initiative could not be made public at this moment,” he said.

Buddhi Narayan Shrestha, who was invited to the meeting as a surveyor, said historical maps and facts clearly suggest that Lipu-Lekh is located in Byas VDC of Darchula district. “So it is very clear that Lipu is our land,” Shrestha told lawmakers, adding that the area near Limpudhara and Kalapani is Nepali territory.

The House panel also asked the government to collect evidence so that Nepal can hold talks with the two neighbours to correct their statement.