Relationship dossier
People's Republic of China
Nepal
Relationship assessment
Close cooperation shaped by Chinese assistance, connectivity agreements, and Nepal's support for China's stated positions
People's Republic of China toward Nepal
+40China has provided Nepal with assistance and infrastructure support and concluded a transit and transport agreement with Nepal in 2016. It also signed a Belt and Road cooperation framework with Nepal in 2017, creating a basis for further connectivity projects.
Nepal toward People's Republic of China
+40Nepal has endorsed the One China policy and signed a Belt and Road cooperation framework with China in 2017. The 2016 transit and transport agreement also reflected Nepal's effort to expand access to routes through China.
Overall relationship
+40The relationship has durable cooperative foundations, including connectivity frameworks, Chinese assistance, and Nepalese support for China's positions on Tibet and Taiwan. It is not without sensitivity: Nepal's management of Tibetan political activity is an important concern for Beijing, while the scale and delivery of planned projects remain uncertain.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
China and Nepal maintain a close, broadly cooperative relationship, with substantial Chinese assistance and infrastructure engagement and Nepalese support for China's stated positions on Tibet and Taiwan. A 2016 transit and transport agreement and Nepal's participation in the Belt and Road Initiative provide concrete bilateral frameworks. Cooperation is tempered by sensitivities around Tibetan political activity in Nepal and uncertainty over the implementation of major projects.
Areas of tension
- Chinese concern over Tibetan political activity in Nepal and Nepal's handling of Tibetan communities
- Uncertainty over the implementation and pace of major connectivity and infrastructure projects
Key developments
China and Nepal signed a transit and transport agreement, providing Nepal with a framework for transit access through China.
Nepal and China signed a Belt and Road cooperation framework.
Major uncertainties
- The extent and pace of implementation of bilateral infrastructure and Belt and Road projects remain unclear.
- The scope of Nepal's security cooperation with China concerning Tibetan political activity is uncertain.