New Delhi: During a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Saturday, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli conveyed Nepal's strong reservations about the China-India agreement to open a trade route through the Lipulekh Pass.
The discussion took place at the Tianjin State Guest House, where PM Oli had arrived to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025. Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai shared that the Prime Minister firmly opposed the deal, emphasising that Lipulekh Pass is an inseparable part of sovereign Nepal.
"It is clear that all lands east of the Mahakali River belong to sovereign Nepal as per the Sugauli Treaty of 1816. Nepal is confident that China will support Nepal in this matter," Rai quoted PM Oli as saying during the meeting.
PM Oli underscored Nepal's position, stating, "As Nepal is clear not to let its land be used against any other country, it equally expresses its objection to the consensus by other countries about its (Nepal's) land." He further stated that the territory belongs to Nepal and the Government of Nepal has registered its strong objection to the same.
In response, President Xi expressed no disagreement with Nepal's stance and suggested that the issue should be resolved through dialogue between Nepal and India, according to Foreign Secretary Rai.
Also Read: EXPLAINED | Why Nepal Objects To India-China Trade Through Lipulekh Pass
The two leaders also discussed various aspects of the bilateral relationship, reaching a consensus to activate mechanisms aimed at strengthening cooperation and friendly ties between the two countries.
This visit marks PM Oli's fourth official trip to China as Prime Minister and his second visit in 2025.
In addition, the leaders reviewed the progress of projects under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and their role in Nepal's socioeconomic development. PM Oli's Economic and Development Advisor, Dr Yuba Raj Khatiwada, noted China's positive stance on opening additional border points to facilitate trade.
China also expressed willingness to support Nepal in enhancing the quality and commercial agricultural production to boost exports. The Chinese side reiterated its commitment to helping transform landlocked Nepal into a land-linked country.
Nepal has lodged a formal protest after India and China reopened border trade via the Lipulekh Pass in August. This move has reignited Nepal's long-standing objections to the route, which connects Uttarakhand with Tibet in the Himalayas. Kathmandu maintains that it has sovereignty over Lipulekh, Kalapani, and Limpiyadhura, a claim that New Delhi rejects.
Nepal's official map, which is enshrined in its Constitution, places Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh, and Kalapani within its territory. In response, Kathmandu has called on New Delhi to halt road construction, expansion, and trade activities in the region, while also notifying China that the area belongs to Nepal.
"The Government of Nepal has been consistently urging the Government of India not to carry out any activities such as road construction/expansion or border trade in the said area. The Government of Nepal has also apprised our friendly neighbour, China, that this area is part of Nepali territory," read an official statement from Nepal's Foreign Ministry.
New Delhi, however, has dismissed Nepal's objections. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that trade through the Lipulekh Pass has been ongoing for decades.
"Border trade between India and China through Lipulekh pass commenced in 1954 and has been going on for decades... such claims are neither justified nor based on evidence," said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.
Nepal's claim is grounded in the 1816 Treaty of Sugauli, which established the Kali River as its western boundary with British India. Kathmandu argues that the river originates from Limpiyadhura, meaning Kalapani, Lipulekh, and Limpiyadhura fall within Nepal's territory.
India disputes this, asserting that the river begins near Kalapani, thus placing the territory under Indian control.
In 2020, Nepal amended its Constitution to formalise its territorial claim. The three areas were included in the official map, and Nepal has since raised objections to Indian infrastructure projects and India-China agreements involving Lipulekh.
India maintains that the territories have been under its administration since Independence. It cites the presence of Indian troops in Kalapani following the 1962 war with China as evidence of its security needs.
The Lipulekh route is vital for the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage and for border trade with Tibet. India argues that its maps, records, and surveys confirm continuous governance of the region.