Decision to import fuel from China not against any country: Nepalese PM

Nepalese Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli said on Sunday that Nepal's effort to import fuel from China was not directed at any country.

Oli, in a televised address to the nation, said, "The decision (to import fuel from China) is not directed against any country. It is a step to make Nepal's trade relations diversified and balanced."

Nepal has formally asked China to supply petroleum products after it suffered a huge crisis as India allegedly blocked all the supplies. Following the request, China signed a framework agreement with Nepal in late October for supply of petroleum products.

Thanking China for the supply, Oli said that Nepal would make efforts to bring essential goods including petroleum products from its northern neighbor.

"The roads connecting China will be upgraded and efforts to bring fuel from other friendly countries would also be initiated," said Oli. A team has already reached Bangladesh to discuss the possibility of importing fuel from there, local media earlier reported.

The prime minister said that the Nepalese people had to suffer as a result of overdependence on a single country (India) when the southern neighbor imposed "undeclared embargo." He said Nepal was pushed to the brink of a humanitarian and economic crisis after fuel, medicine and food items were stopped on the Indian side of border.

"This incident has shown that Nepal's trade relations are unbalanced and one-sided," said Oli. "It will be our duty to take steps to develop a self-reliant economy." Endit