Kathmandu: The 10 key agreements signed with China has lessened Nepal's excessive dependence on India and provided a "psychological boost" to the land-locked country to become self-reliant, the Nepalese media commented on Tuesday, a day after Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli met China's top leadership.
Nepal and China yesterday signed major deals which included a landmark transit treaty that will see the end of Nepal's near-total dependence on Indian sea ports for trade.
China has also pledged to boost cooperation with Nepal in "key areas", including connectivity, industrial capacity, oil and gas during the ongoing week-long visit of Oli.
The deals made banner headlines in major dailies here. In a report in Nepalese language daily 'Nagarik', senior economist Bishwombhar Pyakurel said the agreements will help Nepal in expanding international trade, giving it a "psychological boost" to become economically self-reliant.
"This will loosen the landlocked country's geo-political compulsion," Pyakurel told the daily.
The daily in its front-page report noted that Nepal "has been freed from the situation to face Indian economic embargo" as the deals provide access to the sea route close to China.
Former commerce secretary Purushottam Ojha said the transit treaty was the "most important event in Nepal's economic history." He, however, said Nepal cannot benefit from it "unless we link China through railway or road networks."
"The agreement will not only reduce Indian pressure, but will also open door for Nepal to have access to central Asian economies," he said.
As per the agreements, China will provide assistance to Nepal for installing solar panels in 32,000 households and 21 billion rupees in aid, 25 per cent of which would be in the form of grant for an airport in the tourist spot of Pokhara.
China will also provide assistance in exploration of gas and petroleum products in southern Nepal and construct a bridge to connect western Nepal to Tibet.
Another leading daily 'The Kathmandu Post' reported that the "use of Chinese facilities could start in 2020 at the earliest, when Chinese rail network will reach Kerung".
The daily in a report said Nepal and China signed an agreement to use a port on the northern border "in a bid to shift away from the heavy dependence on India".
The 'Himalayan Times' in its editorial said the deals were "historic" and would have "far-reaching importance to Nepal."
"The long-felt want of Nepali people for a transit transport treaty with China has been fulfilled now," it said.
China has agreed to build the Xiarwa river bridge, which will remove the transport barrier between the Chinese border and Nepal's remote Karnali region. The national daily described it as a "lifeline to the region's economy".
"These agreements...will further widen and strengthen the bilateral relationship of mutual benefit, particularly helping the landlocked Nepal to diversify its trade, to strengthen cross-border connectivity, to expand Nepal's development infrastructure," it said.
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