Right after his India visit, Foreign Minister Khanal travels to China

Nepal's Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal arrived in Beijing Saturday night for a four-day official visit aimed at recalibrating Nepal-China relations. The trip follows Khanal's recent visit to India, where he signaled a potential reset in Nepal-India ties.

During his stay, Khanal is scheduled to meet with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to review bilateral ties and focus on rebuilding trust. An official close to Khanal stated the discussions would also address "misperceptions" among Chinese leadership and policy circles regarding Nepal's current foreign policy. Beijing has reportedly expressed concern over Nepal's perceived shift towards Western policy positions, fearing increased geopolitical competition.

Khanal expressed his intention to "dispel such narratives, build trust and confidence, and discuss the priorities of the new government." His visit comes amid heightened sensitivities, including recent visits by U.S. officials, efforts to issue identity cards to Tibetan refugees in Nepal, and speculation about the next Dalai Lama's reincarnation potentially occurring in Nepal. Beijing also notes Nepal's growing Western presence in border regions and its approval of Starlink services, alongside expanding cooperation in AI and data infrastructure, which is seen as an erosion of China's influence in Nepal's ICT sector. Reports of possible uranium deposits in Mustang have also surfaced.

The Nepalese government has drafted legislation to ensure that exploration of critical minerals within its territory will be exclusively handled by a state-owned company. Earlier this year, leaders from the Communist Party of China visited Kathmandu to assess the new government's policy direction and foreign policy stance. During a recent meeting, the Chinese Ambassador to Nepal reportedly raised concerns about corruption allegations linked to the Pokhara International Airport project and its impact on Chinese firms.

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My visit is focused on dispelling such narratives, building trust and confidence, and discussing the priorities of the new government so we can make tangible progress in different sectors.