Nepal’s Foreign Minister, Shishir Khanal, paid a four-day visit to China from 14–17 June, marking the highest-level Nepali visit to China since the formation of the new government under the leadership of Prime Minister Balendra Shah. His agenda included meetings with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, and with Wang Huning, Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.
While Nepal’s ties with China have historically been shaped by religious and cultural links through Tibet, the economic relationship has become increasingly important. The bilateral trade between the two countries stood at $ 2.16 billion in 2024, with Nepal’s exports to China at a very meagre $10 million, resulting in a trade deficit of $2 billion. Beijing’s highest-value exports include electrical and electronic equipment. China has also promoted people-to-people connectivity, with Chinese tourist arrivals rising steadily in recent years.In Nepal’s foreign policy calculus, China is seen as a valuable development partner. Governments over the past decade have tried to frame ties with Beijing as an independent bilateral relationship rather than as leverage against India, but with limited success.
