Nepal is preparing to sign a trade and transit treaty with China similar to one that exists with its southern neighbour, India. The Nepali side has forwarded a proposal to the northern neighbour for approval. The Foreign Ministry has announced the visit of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Kamal Thapa to China on Sunday at the invitation of the Chinese government. In Beijing, Thapa will meet his Chinese counterpart Yang Yi and senior Chinese political leaders and officials. An official meeting of the foreign ministers has been scheduled for Thursday. If China consents, Nepal will have access to Chinese ports for export and import to a third country. The nearest Chinese port from Nepal is Shanghai. If the two neighbours sign the pact, Nepal’s dependency on India for trade with the rest of the world will end. But, officials said, Nepal will have to drastically improve its connectivity with China.
