PM Oli Objects to India–China Agreement on Making Lipulekh a Trade Route

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, during his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, raised strong objections to the India–China agreement to use Lipulekh as a trade route.

According to Foreign Secretary Amrit Rai, the meeting held on Saturday afternoon saw PM Oli express clear dissatisfaction, stating that such an agreement undermines Nepal’s sovereignty over its territory. He remarked, “As per the 1816 Sugauli Treaty, all lands east of the Mahakali River belong to sovereign Nepal. We believe that China will stand in support of Nepal on this matter.”

The meeting also covered ways to strengthen friendly relations and cooperation between the two countries, with both sides agreeing to further enhance bilateral mechanisms, Rai informed.

PM Oli is leading a 23-member Nepali delegation to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in China. As part of his official visit, he held talks with President Xi Jinping and is scheduled to meet other world leaders as well.

According to the itinerary, PM Oli will address the summit in Tianjin on September 1, and participate in the ceremony in Beijing on September 3 marking the 80th anniversary celebrations.