On October 20th, the CPC and the major political parties of Nepal established a China-Nepal political parties’ joint consultation mechanism for Trans-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Connectivity Network and held the first meeting. Song Tao, Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee (IDCPC); Wu Yingjie, Secretary of the CPC Tibet Autonomous Regional Committee; and leaders of major ruling and opposition political parties of Nepal, including Ganesh Prasad Timilsina, Chairman of National Assembly of Nepal; Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, Chairman of the Nepal Communist Party; and Baburam Bhattarai, leader of the People's Socialist Party of Nepal, attended and addressed the meeting.

Nepalese President Bidhya Devi Bhandari and Nepalese Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli sent congratulatory messages to the meeting. In their messages, Bhandari and Oli said that in October 2019, General Secretary Xi Jinping's state visit to Nepal raised Nepal-China relations to a new level. The Nepalese side appreciates and admires China's major strategic achievements in fighting the epidemic and outstanding achievements in poverty reduction. It is firmly believed that China will build a well-off society in all respects as scheduled this year and successfully embark on a new journey to achieve the second centenary goal. The Nepalese side will continue to firmly adhere to the one-China principle and, as always, support the CPC's and the Chinese government's positions on issues related to Taiwan, Tibet, Hong Kong, and Xinjiang and other issues involving China's core interests. Attaching great importance to strengthening inter-party exchanges with the CPC, Nepal is willing to work with China to accelerate practical cooperation in various fields and the construction of a Trans-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Connectivity Network under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative to better benefit the two peoples.

Song conveyed the warm greetings from General Secretary Xi to Bhandari and Oli, and said that upon the first anniversary of General Secretary Xi’s historic visit to Nepal, the meeting of political parties’ joint consultation mechanism aims to implement the consensus reached by the two leaders on strengthening the Belt and Road cooperation and building the Trans-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Connectivity Network, so as to further consolidate the joint efforts of the political parties and all circles at sub-national level of both sides and promote the steady, in-depth and concrete development of the high-quality Belt and Road cooperation between China and Nepal. The CPC is willing to strengthen exchanges and mutual learning with all political parties in Nepal, enhance mutual political trust between the two countries, promote strategic alignment between the two sides, help the construction of the Trans-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Connectivity Network, and create a better future for China-Nepal relations. The current COVID-19 is still spreading globally. China hopes to work with Nepal and the international community to actively promote global cooperation in anti-epidemic and public health governance, jointly oppose the Cold War mentality and power politics, promote international fairness and justice, and world economic recovery, and maintain regional peace and stability.

Song also briefed on the main content of the third volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China.

Wu said that General Secretary Xi delivered an important speech at the seventh central committee on Tibet work conference, which has opened a new journey for Tibet to promote long-term stability and high-quality development, and also opened up a new phase of practical cooperation between Tibet and Nepal. Tibet will further utilize its geographical advantages through the China-Nepal political parties’ consultation mechanism for the Trans-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Connectivity Network, strengthen practical cooperation with Nepal in the fields of agriculture, economy and trade, tourism and culture, and jointly promote the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative in a bid to make contributions to a China-Nepal community of shared future.

In their speeches, leaders of major political parties, including Timilsina, Prachanda, and Bhattarai, thanked China for its valuable support to Nepal and the international community in the fight against the epidemic, expressing that upon the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Nepal and China and the first anniversary of President Xi’s visit to Nepal, the establishment of the political parties’ joint consultation mechanism for the Trans-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Connectivity Network will help deepen the cooperation between the political parties of the two sides and promote the construction of the Belt and Road cooperation between Nepal and China to achieve more results. All Nepalese political parties fully support cooperation in various fields under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative between the two countries, and will actively give play to the role of political parties to help the development of the cause of friendly cooperation between Nepal and China. After the meeting, the participating parties unanimously adopted an initiative of Chinese and Nepalese political parties for supporting high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.

The meeting was presided over by Guo Yezhou, Vice-minister of the IDCPC and attended by Yan Jinhai, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Tibet Autonomous Regional Committee, as well as responsible person of Chinese institutions and enterprises in Nepal.

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