Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Narayan Kaji Shrestha has said that China is concerned about the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects in Nepal.
Talking to reporters upon his return from China on Sunday, Shrestha said, “I held discussions with Chinese officials on further strengthening Nepal-China relations. One of the issues we discussed was the need to conclude the implementation modality of BRI projects.”
According to Shrestha, the Chinese side has placed great emphasis on the BRI projects.
“I also had discussions with Chinese officials about launching commercial flights to Pokhara and Bhairahawa from Chengdu,” Shrestha said.
Shrestha left for China on Tuesday to participate in the 19th Western China International Trade Fair in Chengdu.
On the sidelines of the fair, Shrestha met Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng on Wednesday. The two leaders discussed different dimensions of bilateral relations. “In addition to discussions on trade, investment, tourism, connectivity, and other issues between the two countries, we talked about increasing Chinese cooperation with Nepal. We also had a positive discussion about opening more trade points and facilitating the movement of people at the Nepal-China border points,” Shrestha wrote in a social media post.
Likewise, addressing the inaugural ceremony of the 19th Western China International Trade Fair on Thursday, Shrestha encouraged Chinese investors to invest in Nepal, stating that Nepal has adopted a policy of encouraging, promoting, and protecting foreign investment, and has implemented significant reforms to facilitate foreign direct investment (FDI).
