Outgoing Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara said on Tuesday that the signing of the One Belt One Road agreement between Nepal and China has helped strengthen bilateral relations.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the China Tibetan Cultural Forum in Kathmandu, which brings in scholars from Nepal and China together, Mahara said the two countries should enhance their ties and benefit under the agreement.

On May 12, Nepal signed a memorandum of understanding on the framework agreement on OBOR, becoming part of Beijing’s ambitious plan to revive the ancient Silk Road trade routes. The signing of the deal was followed by the participation of a high-level Nepali delegation under DPM Mahara at the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing.

Ambassador to Nepal Yu Hong stressed the need to work for prosperity of the people in both the nations with focus on political dialogue, enhancement of physical infrastructure and connectivity, financial access and cultural exchange under the OBOR agreement.

“Nepal and China share historic relationship. Signing of OBOR has made this bond even stronger,” Mahara said, reiterating Nepal’s position on the One-China policy.

Former prime minister Madhav Kumar Nepal reassured that there is no need to cast doubt over Nepal’s commitment to One-China policy irrespective of which party takes charge of the government. Stating that the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) of China has achieved modernisation in recent years despite geographic difficulties, Mahara said the event in Kathmandu would enhance people-to-people relations between the two countries.

Fourteen scholars from China and 15 from Nepal are taking part in the two-day forum that kicked off in Kathmandu on Tuesday. 

According to the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu, the Chinese scholars will be sharing information on several aspects of Tibet, with their Nepali counterparts dealing on cultural history and ties between the two countries.

“I am sure people of Nepal will get to know factual information about Tibet through this event and people of Tibet will get to know about the historic aspects of cultural linkages between Nepal and China,” Ambassador Yu said.