China for quick signing of Bippa with Nepal: Gautam
Kantipur 2014-10-23
China for quick signing of Bippa with Nepal: Gautam
KATHMANDU, OCT 23 — Amid growing trade ties between the two countries, China has proposed Nepal to sign a Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (Bippa) during Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Bamdev Gautam’s visit to the northern neighbour.
Having signed Bippa with seven countries including India, Nepal is considering signing the pact with five other countries including China. The Chinese side has also urged DPM Gautam to sign an extradition treaty soon.
“The Chinese side has proposed to sign Bippa and extradition treaty with Nepal,” Gautam told reporters at the Tribhuvan International Airport upon his arrival from a week-long visit to China on Wednesday. “I told them that we are doing homework on Bippa, and informed them that we have already drafted an act on Extradition Treaty. We need to do some more homework on it. We cannot sign it now, but a process will begin soon.”
China had forwarded the text of extradition treaty to Nepal for consideration in 2009 and that of Bippa ahead of former Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao’s visit to Nepal in January 2012. Nepal is yet respond to China on either of the two documents.
Gautam held talks with his Chinese counterpart and other senior leaders of China’s Communist Party in Beijing.
“The Chinese side praised Nepal’s commitment towards a one-China policy and assured that they will extend support for socio-economic development in Nepal. The Chinese side seems worried about increasing criminal activities along the Nepal-China border,” he said.
China is keen to consolidate Nepal-China relations not only at the government level but also at the people-to-people level, the DPM added. China has agreed to immediately begin the construction of Armed Police Force Training Centre infrastructure and the Chinese business community is interested in investing in Nepal.
