Nepal has welcomed the upcoming informal meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying it will enhance trust between Nepal's two giant neighbors, whose economic growth can be beneficial to Nepal.
"We are happy to know that the leaders from our neighboring countries are going to have an informal meeting later this week. Being an immediate neighbor, Nepal welcomes such high-level engagements and dialogues between China and India," Nepali Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali told Xinhua on Tuesday.
"We hope the meeting will help to enhance goodwill and ... trust between China and India. We want to see a trust-based partnership between our two immediate neighboring countries," he said, adding that Nepal expects to reap benefits from the rapid economic growth taking place in China and India.
The Chinese president will hold the informal meeting with the Indian prime minister in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province, on Friday and Saturday.
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the announcement Sunday, after talks with visiting Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in Beijing.
The Nepali foreign minister said Nepal always wishes for cordial relations between China and India.
With the world order evolving, China and India can play a bigger role in maintaining global peace, stability and prosperity, he said.
Gyawali said Nepal is always open and positive toward the concept of trilateral cooperation with China and India in many fields, including economic development.
Referring to his visit to China last week, the foreign minister said a long-term, broader partnership to enhance economic development was discussed.
Noting that the Belt and Road Initiative, put forward by Xi in 2013, "is a far-sighted and wise proposal ... and Nepal has already become a part of it," he said Nepal is working to identify and implement relevant projects.
He added that his country has prioritized connectivity projects such as cross-border railways, highways and transmission lines, as it is keen on developing a trans-Himalayan multidimensional transport network with Beijing.
