Nepal Foreign Minister NP Saud rejects China's claim of airport being built under BRI

While addressing the International Relations and Tourism Committee on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Saud rejected the claims stating the BRI project hasn’t been put into action in Nepal.

The Chinese Ambassador to Nepal has been claiming that the Pokhara International Airport was built under the BRI framework.

While addressing the committee meeting, FM Saud denied the Chinese Ambassador’s claim by saying that Nepal only has signed on the pact and no tangible plans or initiatives have been implemented so far.

China’s statement that the Pokhara International Airport is its flagship project in Nepal under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) came as a surprise earlier this week.

According to a report by Nepal-based The Kathmandu Post, since China made the claim, confusion gripped Nepal’s diplomatic circles after China is unilaterally listing one project after another in Nepal under the Belt and Road Initiative.

At the inauguration of the new airport by Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, China reportedly made the claim.

Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Chen Song, on June 22,  in a post on Twitter wrote, “Warm congratulation to Wechat Pay Cross-board Payment Service Inauguration in Nepal. A new step forward in financial connectivity, one of the five “connectivities” under #BRI initiative.”

Earlier, last week too, Nepal’s Foreign Minister NP Saud, while addressing the House of Representatives, said, “The project implementation plan of the BRI is at a stage of discussion between Nepal and China. Not a single project in Nepal under the BRI has been executed. The project implementation plan of the BRI is still under consideration.”