Nepal's ambassador praises China's role in global growth and sustainability

As the world grapples with geopolitical turbulence and economic uncertainty, China's commitment to innovative, open and sustainable development will not only advance its own prosperity but also contribute to a more interconnected and resilient world, said Nepal's Ambassador to China Krishna Prasad Oli.

Speaking after attending the opening of the third session of the 14th National People's Congress on Wednesday, Oli praised China's strategic priorities for 2025, as outlined in the Government Work Report, reinforcing its role as a driver of global growth.

"China, I believe, will be a major engine for global growth for various reasons," Oli said. He highlighted that the world's second-largest economy with vast population and market size has "consistently shown remarkable growth."

One of the key takeaways from the report was China's dedication to fostering new quality productive forces and the strong emphasis on emerging industries, digital economy stimulation, and the integration of education, scientific innovation, and talent development.

China is positioning itself at the forefront of technological progress, Oli said, adding that he was particularly impressed by China's technological innovation.

"Innovation in technology is the prime focus of the Chinese nation…China has sent deep shock waves with the rise of tech start-ups like DeepSeek," he said.

In an era of rising protectionism and diminishing trust in multilateralism, China's commitment to expanding its openness and optimizing its business environment is a breath of fresh air, the ambassador emphasized.

"The Chinese government has shown their confidence and support in the private sector and continued to attract foreign direct investment and talents," he said.

China's Belt and Road Initiative, which facilitates both large-scale infrastructure and smaller, impactful projects, has further strengthened multilateral cooperation and global development, he added.

"As a close friend and trusted development partner, Nepal also awaits to see how China prioritizes neighborhood policies and implements the South-South Cooperation and triangular cooperation across multiple fields," he said. "I am a climate expert myself. Therefore, I am also very much interested in how green growth is prioritized."

Praising China as "a champion of green growth," Oli commended the country's efforts in balancing economic development with environmental sustainability. "China's high-quality development perfectly captures the essence of growth in harmony with nature."

China has vowed to coordinate industrial restructuring, pollution control, ecological protection, and climate change response, all of which aim to accelerate its shift toward a green and low-carbon economy, according to the Government Work report.

Beyond economic and environmental policies, Oli highlighted the distinctiveness of China's political system, particularly its whole-process people's democracy, as exemplified in the two sessions.

China's whole-process people's democracy involves electoral and consultative democracy and has ensured that policies are people-centered and that the benefits of development are widely shared, he said.

He praised China's achievements in eradicating absolute poverty and ensuring fundamental human rights, stating that, "The development achieved by China is unparalleled and has progressively evolved to the satisfaction of the overall populace."