Provincial Level Stakeholders’ Discussion Seminar
on
“Chinese Engagements and BRI in Nepal”

In Collaboration with the Department of Political Science, Prithvi Narayan Campus, Pokhara

Chinese funded projects implemented by Chinese entities in Nepal, more often than not, have faced issues of time and cost overrun among others. Among the large-scale China funded infrastructure projects in Nepal, Pokhara International Airport serves as a prime example. There exist increasing concerns on political and economic front regarding it. Further development in BRI is contingent upon China’s foreign policy under Xi Jinping’s third term presidency as well as the orientation and priorities of the new coalition government in Nepal.

This necessitates a thorough discussion on prospects and challenges of BRI implementation in Nepal along with social, (geo)political, economic and environmental implications of Chinese engagements (including Chinese funded and contracted projects). In this regard, the Centre for Social Inclusion and Federalism (CESIF) organised a Provincial Level Stakeholders’ discussion (seminar) in collaboration with the Department of Political Science, Prithvi Narayan Campus on “Chinese Engagements and BRI in Nepal” on December 10, 2020 at Hotel Crown Himalayas, Pokhara.

This seminar brought together politicians, bureaucrats, intellectuals, economists, infrastructural experts, businessmen, representatives of the Pokhara International Airport, representatives of the tourism industry and journalists among others to share the initial findings of CESIF’s research on Prospects and Challenges of the Nepal-China BRI Agreement, as well as to discuss the challenges and opportunities of the BRI projects at the Sub-national level. 

Amb. Vijay Kant Karna - Executive Chairperson of CESIF, Mr. Uma Baral - Profesor at the Pritvi Narayan Campus, Mr. Than Bahadur Chhetri -  Head of Dept. of Political Science Prithvi Narayan Campus, Mr. Amish Raj Mulmi - author of 'All Roads Lead North - Nepal's Turn to China', Mr. Ananda Raj Mulmi - former President of the FNCCI, Mr. Lekhnath Bhattarai - Professor at the Prithivi Narayan Campus, Ms. Bidhya Bhattarai, Member of the House of Representative from Kaski, Mr. Bishwas Shankar Palikhe among others were the notable speakers of the discussion.