LALITPUR: Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal has said Nepal can play a dynamic bridging role in expanding economic, trade, and people-to-people cooperation between China and South Asia.
Addressing an international conference in Lalitpur on Friday on China-South Asia relations in a multipolar world, Khanal said Nepal has been strengthening ties with both neighbors on the basis of sovereign equality, mutual respect, mutual benefit, and sensitivity to each other’s legitimate concerns.
He said Asia’s rapid economic transformation has created unprecedented opportunities for shared prosperity and stressed that cooperation is the most reliable path to sustainable development.
Khanal noted that the continued economic rise of China and India has opened new opportunities for Nepal in trade, investment, infrastructure, connectivity, tourism, and broader economic cooperation.
Emphasizing that economic diplomacy is at the center of Nepal’s foreign policy, he said its main objective is to improve the living standards of Nepali citizens through trade, investment, employment, entrepreneurship, technology, innovation, and sustainable development.
The foreign minister said South Asia has enormous economic potential, but regional integration remains below expectations. He argued that better connectivity, easier trade, stronger investment flows, and improved supply chains could generate significant benefits for the region.
Khanal said the government has prioritized economic transformation, with special focus on quality investment, infrastructure, exports, tourism, clean energy, digital transformation, innovation, and private sector growth.
Stating that Nepal lies between two rapidly growing economies, he said the government aims to transform the country from a landlocked state into a vibrant and dynamic bridge connecting China and South Asia.
He also highlighted Nepal’s investment potential, including more than 42,000 megawatts of economically feasible hydropower, rich biodiversity, abundant water resources, fertile agricultural land, and a growing digital economy.
Khanal concluded by saying that in a multipolar world, partnerships should be built on trust, mutual respect, and shared interests, and reaffirmed Nepal’s commitment to playing a constructive and positive role in regional cooperation.
