Kathmandu: Nepal has sought a whopping USD one billion in soft loan from China for building an international airport and a hydro-electric project as part of developing its infrastructure, Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala said here Tuesday as she embarked on a 5-day visit to Beijing.
Sujata said that during her visit, China is likely to sanction the USD one billion soft loan to Nepal as requested by Kathmandu.
The loan would be utilised in three key projects – to build second international airport in the tourist hub of Pokhara, to construct a 400 MW Nalsingadhi hydro-electric plant in Jajarkot in west Nepal and to develop infrastructure for intra-regional connectivity facilities that would include roads as well as railway links, she said.
During her visit, Sujata will hold talks with top leaders of China, including Vice Prime Minister Li Keijiang, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and Minister for Public Affairs and Security Menj Jian Guo, Foreign Ministry sources said.
"I will seek China's help and cooperation in establishing peace and stability in the country and drafting of the new Constitution," she told reporters at the Tribhuvan International Airport here before flying to Beijing.
"My visit is aimed at strengthening friendly relations with China and expanding economic cooperation," she said.
Earlier yesterday, Sujata told PTI that Nepal aims to maintain the best possible relations with both the neighbours, India and China.
Bureau Report
First Published: Tuesday, September 08, 2009, 15:34