When meeting with People’s Daily reporter again in Kathmandu, capital of Nepal,
Nepali President Bidya Devi Bhandari recognized the reporter immediately. “I remember you. You
interviewed me in 2019 before Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Nepal. China is a good
friend of Nepal, and I’m willing to answer the questions from People’s Daily,” Bhandari said.
In the subsequent interview that lasted more than two hours, Bhandari recalled her meetings and
communication with Xi. The Nepali people are proud to have a good friend like China, and the
Nepal-China friendship across the Himalayas is always as firm as a rock, she said.
China and Nepal have always stood alongside each other and supported each other in times of
difficulties and challenges. Bhandari still vividly remembers her phone conversation with Xi in
May 2021 when the COVID-19 situation in Nepal was grim.
“I told President Xi over the phone that Nepal faced a serious shortage of vaccine. Xi said China
would provide much-needed medical supplies and vaccines for Nepal, share its experience in
epidemic prevention and control as well as diagnosis of and treatment for the disease with Nepal,
and continue trying its best to support Nepal. We talked for 45 minutes that time. President Xi
showed his solicitude for the Nepali people just like an elder brother,” Bhandari told People’s
Daily.
After the phone conversation, the Chinese government soon sent COVID-19 vaccines and medical
supplies to Nepal. “The timely support and help from President Xi and the Chinese people saved
the lives of many Nepali people,” Bhandari said.
The entire nation has been deeply moved by China’s selfless assistance, according to Bhandari,
who said that with a good friend like China, “Nepal dares to face up to any difficulties.”
“President Xi is a sincere friend,” Bhandari stressed. She disclosed that she and Xi have met,
talked over the phone, and exchanged letters for many times and maintained close contacts and a
sincere friendship.
“Even the high mountains and language barrier can’t stop us from becoming friends,” Bhandari
said.
During the interview, Bhandari recalled Xi’s state visit to Nepal in 2019. She and her daughter
Usha Kiran Bhandari welcomed Xi at the airport when he arrived, according to the
Nepali President.
“I remember that after President Xi walked down the gangway ladder, my daughter presented him
with a bouquet of flowers and we welcomed him like he was family. Almost all the senior officials
of Nepal went to the airport to greet President Xi,” Bhandari recalled, explaining that Xi’s visit
was of great significance to Nepal, so the whole country took it very seriously.
“During that historic visit, President Xi and I jointly announced that China and Nepal had agreed
to upgrade their relations to a strategic partnership of cooperation featuring ever-lasting friendship
for development and prosperity,” Bhandari said.
The first and second volumes of the Nepali edition of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China are
among the books on the bookshelf in Bhandari’s office. The book covers all aspects of the
governance of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in China, said the Nepali President, who
stressed that Xi has always put the people in the first place, adhered to the people-centered
development philosophy and made great efforts to advance major undertakings, such as the fight
against poverty, infrastructure construction, and ecological civilization construction, winning
support and respect from the Chinese people.
The vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind and the Belt and Road
Initiative (BRI) proposed by Xi have drawn a blueprint for global governance and development,
Bhandari pointed out.
“President Xi is one of the most influential leaders in the world. Under his leadership, China has
made remarkable achievements in various sectors and seen its global influence grow with each
passing day,” Bhandari said.
She has visited China four times since 1995, and has been to southwest China’s Tibet autonomous
region, and many Chinese cities including Beijing, Shenzhen, Shanghai and Xi’an, according to
Bhandari.
She has seen through these visits that China has both modern metropolis and villages with
picturesque natural scenery, Bhandari said, who noted that China has achieved more balanced,
coordinated, and sustainable development under the strong leadership of the CPC.
“I have a lot of interesting stories about and happy memories of each of my visit to China. I can
talk about my love for China for days, and still can’t fully express my deep feelings for the
country,” she said.
The lofty Mount Qomolangma, which straddles the China-Nepal border, has witnessed the history
of the friendly ties between the two countries.
During the past 67 years since the establishment of the diplomatic relations between China and
Nepal, generation after generation of people committed to China-Nepal friendship have
continuously scaled new heights in bilateral relations under the guidance of leaders of the two
countries, finally making the China-Nepal relations flourish.
China and Nepal are close neighbors linked by the same mountains and rivers and enjoy a long-
standing friendship, Bhandari pointed out, stressing that the mutual trust and friendship between
the two countries have withstood the test of time.
Nepal is grateful to China for its long-term generous support and assistance, said Bhandari, who
noted that Nepal will remain steadfast in upholding the one-China principle and supporting China
in safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and will definitely not allow any forces to
carry out any activities against China on Nepali territory.
Nepal supports the joint construction of the BRI and looks forward to accelerating the construction
of a Multi-dimensional Connectivity Network across the Himalayas with China, which is an
opportunity to bring a new look to the infrastructure of Nepal, according to Bhandari.
“I hope we will continue working together to elevate the Nepal-China friendship to a new height,”
she said.
