'PM Oli's SCO summit participation a milestone'

By TRN Online, Kathmandu, Sept 3: Foreign relations experts have said that the participation of the Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin was a milestone in Nepal-China relations.

They expressed their views at 'Prime Minister Oli's China Visit - A Milestone 70th Anniversary of Nepal-China Diplomatic Relation' program organised by Friends on the Cloud: Platform of influencers Nepal on Tuesday.

Speaking at the programme, Foreign Affairs and Conflict Management Expert Dr Bishnu Raj Upreti said that PM Oli's participation in the SCO summit as a dialogue member itself was a milestone in the Nepal-China relation.

"PM Oli participating in the SCO summit and giving it priority by the Chinese President Xi Jinping, is a milestone, itself." Dr Upreti added, "Raising Limpiyadhura's issue in the meeting with the Chinese President is another key result." He suggested that such border issues with China and India should be settled through dialogue.

At the programme, CPN-UML foreign relations department member and senior journalist Gopal Khanal also termed the SCO summit participation of PM Oli as a milestone.

"Though the result of the participation will reflect in future, this SCO member-driven visit itself was a milestone." He said. Explaining the scenario of the SCO summit as an 'Alternative world order, Khanal said that another milestone in Nepal-China relations will be when Nepal obtains SCO membership. He added, "Nepal should take the geopolitical advantages of both nations, China and India." 

Former Ambassador to Japan Dr Bishnu Hari Nepal said that border-related disputes should be settled by maintaining a fresh border protocol. "By updating border protocols and settling border disputes through dialogues, Nepal should take the benefit of both neighbouring nations," he said.

Saying the SCO summit participation of PM Oli is a milestone, he added that Nepal should take advantage by attracting more Chinese tourists and proposing China-Nepal-India gateway or economic corridor-type initiatives.

Former ambassador to Australia Mahesh Dahal suggested that the government, after putting border issues ahead of China, now he should now take the initiative to talk with India. "Putting matter ahead of China obviously a major step, but now PM Oli should put border issues with India too," He said. "Lipulek-Limpiyadhura-related issues should be settled through diplomatic dialogue," he added.

Organiser Friends on the Cloud: Platform of influencers, Nepal's Chair Sobhit Upreti termed PM Oli's SCO summit participation a milestone in Nepal-China relations, and said that the SCO summit succeeded in sending a message to the whole world that 'the world power is returned to Asia.