Nepal’s Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli has voiced strong objection to the recent understanding reached between India and China on border trade through Lipulekh Pass, an area that Nepal claims as its own territory.
The objection was conveyed during a bilateral meeting held on August 30, 2025, between Prime Minister Oli and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tianjin, China. The meeting focused on various aspects of Nepal-China relations, including economic cooperation, infrastructure projects, and regional issues.
Prime Minister Oli reiterated Nepal’s position that Lipulekh is part of its sovereign territory and made it clear that the Government of Nepal has consistently registered its objection against any bilateral agreements between other nations that involve the area. The Lipulekh dispute has long been a point of contention between Nepal and India, with Nepal rejecting India’s inclusion of the region in official maps.
During the talks, Oli also thanked China for its continuous support in Nepal’s development efforts. He emphasized that Nepal-China ties, based on the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, have remained trouble-free. He extended best wishes for the success of the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025 and requested Chinese support for Nepal’s aspiration to join the SCO as a member state.
Prime Minister Oli further sought Chinese assistance in accelerating the implementation of ongoing projects, including those under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Areas of cooperation discussed included fertilizer supply, petroleum exploration, human resource development, climate resilience, and enhancing people-to-people connections.
President Xi Jinping, on his part, assured Nepal of China’s continued support in realizing the vision of “Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali.” He also underlined China’s readiness to cooperate with Nepal in multilateral platforms such as the United Nations and SCO. Xi expressed gratitude to Nepal for its support of the One China Principle and reiterated China’s commitment to helping Nepal implement high-quality BRI projects.
Prime Minister Oli and his delegation, who arrived in Tianjin earlier in the day, were warmly welcomed by Chinese officials including Ms. Sun Meijun, Minister and Secretary of the CPC Committee of the General Administration of Customs of China, Mr. Yu Yunlin, Chairman of Tianjin People’s Congress, and Nepal’s Ambassador to China, Dr. Krishna Prasad Oli.
Oli is scheduled to attend further high-level meetings on the sidelines of the SCO Summit, including a welcome banquet and gala performance hosted by President Xi Jinping and First Lady Madame Peng Liyuan.
The Lipulekh issue, however, is likely to remain a sensitive matter in Nepal’s foreign policy, as Kathmandu continues to push back against both India and China on agreements that it views as infringing upon its territorial sovereignty.
