KATHMANDU: After Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli returned from a four-day visit to the northern neighbor, he addressed concerns by clarifying that Nepal had not signed any financial agreements with China. Oli flatly disputed the allegations while addressing reporters at Tribhuvan International Airport, stressing that discussing loans was not on the agenda.
"We are not taking loans from anywhere at this point, including China," he said after saying so earlier at a public event in Durbar Marg. Dispelling persistent rumors, Oli reiterated that no loan-related talks or agreements had taken place while he was there.
The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects would be managed separately, the Prime Minister said. "Each project under the BRI will be implemented through separate discussions between China and Nepal," he clarified. He pointed out that this method enables careful consideration of every project.
Oli also clarified that Nepal’s engagements with China through the BRI do not involve loans. He declared, "What the government has so far secured is not a loan. The ongoing discussion on this topic is unfounded because the BRI is not about loans."
He urged critics to move away from unfounded speculation regarding Nepal’s financial engagements with China. According to Oli, the BRI focuses on mutual collaboration rather than debt-oriented arrangements.
The Prime Minister’s visit to China included discussions on several bilateral issues, but his remarks emphasized that financial assistance from China did not include any loan commitments.
