PM Oli raises Lipulek issue with Chinese President

By Karun Aryal/Modnath Dhakal ,Beijing/Kathmandu, Aug. 31: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has raised the issue of Lipulek – a border pass in Nepali territory in India-encroached Kalapani region – during the bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. 

In the meeting held on the eve of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025 on Saturday in Tianjin of China, he asserted that the territory belongs to Nepal and the Government of Nepal registered its strong objection to the recent understanding reached between India and China on border trade through Lipulek, the Embassy of Nepal in Beijing informed in a statement.

The statement by the Embassy underscored that the Prime Minister made it clear that the area lies within Nepalese territory, and the Government of Nepal has lodged a strong objection to the agreement.

During the visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to India on August 18 and 19, the two countries reached an agreement to reopen the historic Lipulek Pass. The two countries had agreed to open the Pass for trade during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to China in 2015, but was shut after their armies clashed in Laddakh in 2020. 

As this happened without Nepal’s notice, the government sent a diplomatic note to the governments in New Delhi and Beijing. It had done the same in the past as well. 

Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai informed that Prime Minister Oli, during his meeting with President Xi, explicitly conveyed Nepal’s objection to the agreement reached between China and India to use Nepali territory. 

He stated that, according to the 1816 Treaty of Sugauli, all land to the east of the Mahakali River clearly belongs to the sovereign nation of Nepal. Citing Prime Minister Oli, Secretary Rai added that Nepal believes China will extend its support to Nepal in this matter.

Hope to accelerate BRI projects 

Expressing hope on accelerating implementation of projects already agreed, including under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), PM Oli requested for support in such areas as fertiliser, petroleum exploration, human resource development, climate resilience and people-to-people connections. 

In response, President Xi Jinping expressed China’s willingness in supporting Nepal in fulfilling its aspiration of ‘Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali’. 

According to the Embassy, he also stated that China will cooperate with Nepal in multilateral forums including UN and SCO, and reiterated China’s continued support in Nepal’s development including through implementation of high-quality BRI projects that have been agreed between the 

two countries. 

Likewise, the two leaders discussed various aspects of Nepal-China relations and expressed their commitment to advance mutually beneficial cooperation in the days ahead. 

Prime Minister Oli thanked for China’s continuous support in Nepal’s development endeavours. He extended his best wishes for the success of SCO Summit 2025 and requested the President of China for support to Nepal’s membership aspiration in the SCO. 

During the meeting, Nepal was represented by former Deputy Prime Minister and Nepali Congress lawmaker Purna Bahadur Khadka, Minister for Education, Science and Technology Raghuji Pant, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Badri Prasad Pandey, Prime Minister’s Economic and Development Adviser Dr. Yuba Raj Khatiwada, CPN-UML lawmaker Chhabilal Bishwakarma, Foreign Secretary Rai, Nepal’s Ambassador to China Dr. Krishna Prasad Oli, along with senior Chinese officials.

PM Oli’s itinerary 

PM Oli and his delegation reached Tianjin on Saturday afternoon on a five-day visit to China. Upon arrival at the Tianjin Binhai International Airport, the Prime Minister was welcomed by Sun Meijun, Minister and Secretary of CPC Committee of the General Administration of Customs of China, Yu Yunlin, Chairman of Tianjin People’s Congress, Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Chen Song and Dr. Oli, Ambassador of Nepal to China. 

The Embassy informed that PM Oli is scheduled to meet with some world leaders on the sidelines of the SCO Summit and attend Welcome Banquet and Gala performance to be hosted by President Xi and first lady Peng Liyuan. 

He is scheduled to address the SCO Plus Summit as a guest speaker. The summit will see the participation of heads of state and government from 20 countries, including the ten full members of the SCO, as well as leaders of ten international organisations. 

Established in 2001 as a Eurasian political, economic, and security alliance, Nepal joined the SCO in 2016 as a dialogue partner. Oli is the first head of government from Nepal to take part in an SCO meeting.

On September 2, Prime Minister Oli will also hold bilateral talks in Beijing with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng. Likewise, he will hold separate bilateral meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Maldivian President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, Cambodian Prime Minister Dr. Hun Manet, Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, and Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

Similarly, on September 3, Prime Minister Oli will attend a commemorative ceremony and military parade at Tiananmen Square in Beijing, marking the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese people in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the Second World War.