Nepal and China today discussed security and increasing road networks between them, a day after Nepalese Prime Minister Prachanda said the landlocked country was keen to be a part of Beijing's 'One Belt One Road' project.
Chinese Defence Minister Gen Chang Wanquan met Nepal's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Bimalendra Nidhi and discussed ways to strengthen the Nepal-China ties.
They discussed matters relating to economy and boosting security agreements, including exchange of border information.
Their focus, however, was on increasing connectivity between the two countries through road networks, like resuming trade through the Tatopani border point, located around 110 km east of the capital Kathmandu, that has remained shut since the earthquakes rattled the Himalayan nation in 2015.
The meeting today came a day after Gen Chang, who leads the 2.3-million-strong People's Liberation Army, the world's largest, arrived in Nepal. He is the first Chinese Defence Minister to visit Nepal in 16 years.
Today, Gen Chang also called on Nepal's President Bidya Devi Bhandari.
The Chinese defence minister said China would provide physical and technical assistance for building a training centre for Armed Police Force (APF) of Nepal.
Yesterday, he discussed military cooperation and the 'One Belt, One Road' initiative, an ambitious project viewed with suspicion by India, with Nepalese Prime Minister Prachanda.
Prachanda, who is visiting China for high-level talks, told Gen Chang before leaving that Nepal was keen to be part of the OBOR, a pet project of Chinese President Xi Jinping, and expressed commitment to the 'One China' policy, saying it won't tolerate any activity against Tibet and Taiwan.
India has some concerns over the OBOR, which includes a maze of projects connecting China with Euro-Asia and is floated by Beijing as a connectivity and economic project.
Gen Chang's visit comes ahead of Indian Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat's four-day official visit to Nepal from March 28.
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