No anti-China activities from Nepalese soil: Khanal

Kathmandu, Aug 17: Nepal today (Aug 17) promised a high level visiting Chinese delegation that it will not allow its soil for any anti-China activities, amid Beijing's concerns over growing influence of the Dalai Lama among Tibetan exiles in the country.

The high-level Chinese delegation led by China's top security czar Zhou Yongkang, a member of Standing Committee of Political Bureau of Chinese Communist Party, met Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal at his office in Singha Durbar.

He arrived yesterday along with a 25-member delegation to discuss "mutual concerns" and promote bilateral ties.

His "goodwill" visit comes at a time when Beijing's influence has grown significantly in the Himalayan nation recent years.

During the meeting, Khanal, who is currently a caretaker prime minister after his resignation, said the relations between Nepal and China are based on ''Panchsheel''.

Reiterating that Nepal has embraced the One China policy, he assured the Chinese delegation that the government would not allow to use the Nepali soil for anti-China activities.

Zhou, who is in charge of China's security apparatus was expected to press for boosting security cooperation along the Nepal-Tibet border and ensuring that Kathmandu continues to clamp down on anti-China activities of Tibetan exiles and growing influence of the Dalai Lama on them.

Prime minister thanked Zhou for bringing the goodwill of Chinese people and also for the aid package under various agreements, which were signed later this afternoon, the Himalayan Times quoted a statement from Khanal's adviser on foreign affairs Mila Tuladhar as saying.

PTI