Nepal signed a deal on Wednesday with China to import petroleum products, its embassy in Beijing said, as the Himalayan nation tries to boost supplies to deal with a deepening fuel crisis. “We have signed a MOU (memorandum of understanding) with China National United Oil Corporation to supply the petroleum products that Nepal needs”, said Deepak Baral, spokesman at the state-run Nepal Oil Corporation. One of the crossings reopened this month.
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Wednesday’s agreement provides the framework for the imports of petroleum products from China to break the cycle of short-term fuel crisis in Nepal, the NOC said. “Now, the door has been opened to import fuel from China”. Nepal has not bought fuel from China for four decades in a bid to pacify India. 13 billion and Rs131.
As it signed its first oil trade deal with Nepal ending India’s monopoly over fuel supplies, China today expressed readiness for “friendly” talks with India to stabilise the landlocked country, reeling under acute fuel shortage due to a blockade of border points with India.
“We hope that in sustaining regional stability and state-to-state friendship, all related nations can sit collectively and have pleasant consultations in order that consensus might be reached”, he stated.
Asked whether or not China has commenced provides to Nepal, at present hit by the Indian-origin Madhesis’ protests over the brand new structure, Lu stated “in view of their (Nepal’s) request, we’ll do our greatest to offer help and each side are in communication”. Transport of goods via other checkpoints along the Indian border has also suffered, provoking the Nepalese government to accuse New Delhi of backing the protesters and imposing an “unofficial blockade” to register its dissatisfaction with the new constitution.
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The NOC has provided details of 40 oil tankers to the Chinese authority to facilitate their entry into China.
