Lawmakers ask government to take diplomatic measures to bring back Nepal's territory
The Members of Parliament (MPs) have suggested that the government should take diplomatic measures to claim Nepal's territory.
Speaking in today's House of Representatives (HoR) meeting, the lawmakers asked the Prime Minister, KP Sharma Oli, to clearly communicate with the leaders regarding the agreement signed between India and China on Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura and Kalapani without informing Nepal.
On the occasion, CPN (Unified Socialist)'s lawmaker Rajendra Prasad Pandey said that the land of Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura and Kalapani belongs to Nepal and holds the land ownership certificate too after the Sugauli Treaty.
He added that it is also evidently proven from the map kept in the American and British libraries.
Pandey viewed that a country could be small or big in size but there could be no compromise on the nation's sovereignty.
He also called for a special initiative from the government to forge a national consensus to claim the Nepali territory.
Likewise, lawmaker Ranju Kumari Jha of the Janata Samajwadi Party Nepal expressed confidence that the PM will take steps to claim Nepal's land through dialogue and diplomatic efforts during his China visit.
Similarly, lawmaker Prem Suwal of the Nepal Workers Peasants Party urged the government to safeguard Nepal's territory as stated in the Sugauli Treaty.
Lawmaker Maina Karki also drew the government's attention to settle the border issues through diplomatic means.
PM Oli briefs Parliament about his China visit
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli briefed the Parliament about his five-day official visit to China on Friday.
PM Oli is embarking on a visit to China on August 30 at the cordial invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping to attend the SCO Summit.
Apart from attending the SCO Summit, the Prime Minister will attend the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated by issuing a press release on Wednesday.
The high-level participation of Nepal at the SCO is expected to be a great opportunity for Nepal to further deepen Nepal-China relations and increase Nepal's proactive role in multilateral cooperation.
During his visit to China, Prime Minister Oli is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with Chinese President Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as the heads of state and governments from different countries attending the Summit.
PM Oli will leave for Tianjin City of China on Saturday morning and is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the same evening, according to the Ministry.
The Prime Minister will address the SCO Summit in Tianjin on September 1.
Prime Minister Oli will meet with Han Zheng, Vice President of the People’s Republic of China, in Beijing on September 2.
The PM will return home on September 3.
The Prime Minister will be accompanied by his spouse, Radhika Shakya.
The entourage of the PM will comprise Raghuji Pant, Minister for Education, Science and Technology; Badri Prasad Pandey, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation; Purna Bahadur Khadka, Member of the Parliament; Dr Yuba Raj Khatiwada, Economic and Development Advisor to the Prime Minister; Chhabilal Bishwakarma, Member of Parliament; and the high-ranking government officials.
Oli’s China trip, cholera scare, and more
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is all set to visit China this week to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, marking an important step in Nepal’s high-level diplomatic engagement with its two powerful neighbors—India and China.
This visit comes at a delicate juncture. Concerns in Kathmandu are growing over a renewed India-China agreement on trade through the disputed Lipulekh Pass. Against this backdrop, the SCO summit provides Oli not just a platform to engage with regional powers but also an opportunity to assert Nepal’s interests amid rising geopolitical complexities. Alongside attending the summit’s side events, Oli is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which will be his second and third meetings with them respectively since assuming office for the third time in July 2024.
Oli’s foreign outreach has been consistent. In December last year, he visited China to finalize a framework agreement on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), one of Beijing’s top priorities in its engagement with Nepal. Similarly, his talks with Modi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly and the recent BIMSTEC meeting in Thailand highlight the frequency of high-level interactions. Yet, this week’s meetings are under particular scrutiny, as concerns over Lipulekh have resurfaced. On Aug 19, India and China agreed to resume trade through the territory that Nepal claims as its own.
While Beijing has maintained a largely reserved stance, with Foreign Minister Wang Yi merely assuring that the India-China deal was not “targeted at any third country”, Nepal has been more vocal. Government spokesperson Prithvi Subba Gurung confirmed that Kathmandu will raise the issue directly with both Xi and Modi. Meanwhile, Chinese think tanks argue that the dispute should be settled bilaterally between Nepal and India.
The timing of this trip also underscores a shift in Oli’s priorities—from domestic politics to foreign affairs. After China, he is expected to travel to India next month and later attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York in mid-September. Adding to this momentum, Vietnam’s Vice-president visited Nepal this week, exploring new avenues of cooperation in trade, education, and tourism, a sign that Nepal is quietly broadening its international engagements beyond its immediate neighborhood.
Domestically, Oli continues to stand on firm political ground. His main coalition partner, the Nepali Congress (NC), has remained supportive, allowing him to sideline opposition voices such as the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP). NC General Secretary Gagan Kumar Thapa, however, has urged Oli to refrain from repeatedly claiming he will eventually hand over power to NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba—a gesture seen by many as unnecessary flattery.
Within his own party, Oli maintains an even tighter grip. The CPN-UML is preparing for a statute convention that could abolish both the 70-year age limit and the two-term leadership cap, moves widely viewed as paving the way for Oli’s indefinite leadership. At the same time, former President Bidya Devi Bhandari has re-emerged, opening a new office and holding political meetings. While Oli has downplayed her return to active politics, senior UML leaders like Ishwar Pokhrel appear supportive, whereas others such as Surendra Pandey and Yubaraj Gyawali remain cautious.
Interestingly, the Lipulekh controversy—once a dominant political issue—has lost much of its noise. Beyond the CPN (Maoist Center), RSP, and a few fringe left parties, most mainstream actors including NC and UML have chosen silence. This restraint is a stark contrast to earlier years when nationalist rhetoric dominated political discourse. Oli too has avoided inflammatory remarks, perhaps to preserve diplomatic decorum ahead of his meetings in China and India.
At the same time, the Maoist Center is preparing a nationwide campaign to strengthen its base ahead of local and national elections, though Chairperson Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s attempts to topple the government appear ineffective. His tensions with senior leader Janardhan Sharma also persist.
Meanwhile, developments within Parliament continue. Ishwari Neupane of the NC has been elected chair of the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee, following the resignation of Ram Hari Khatiwada over his alleged involvement in document tampering related to cooling-off period provision in the Federal Civil Service Bill.
Outside Parliament, public discontent remains visible. Teachers have returned to the streets demanding better job security, pensions, and reforms in the education bill. The passage of the bill has been delayed due to disputes between NC and UML.
Adding to these domestic challenges, sugarcane farmers have reignited their agitation over delayed subsidies and unpaid dues from mills. Beginning Aug 24, farmers from the Tarai staged a sit-in at Maitighar Mandala in Kathmandu, demanding full payment of a long-promised Rs 70 per quintal subsidy—half of which was recently slashed to Rs 35 due to budget shortages. They are also pushing for fairer valuation, removal of VAT, and inclusion in price-setting decisions.
Beyond politics and protests, policy issues continue to surface. After last year’s rhino census was postponed due to lack of funds, Nepal will this year conduct both rhino and tiger counts with support from the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation. On the agricultural front, paddy planting remains incomplete even as August draws to a close. Of the 1,376,466 hectares suitable for cultivation, 1,306,293 hectares (about 94 percent) have been planted, leaving 70,176 hectares still fallow.
Public health concerns are also mounting. The National Public Health Laboratory has confirmed cholera cases in Birgunj, with eight of ten tested samples returning positive. The Birgunj Metropolitan Health Division reported that 171 patients suffering from cholera and diarrhea have been treated and discharged, though results from two pending samples are awaited.
Finally, in a culturally significant ruling, the Supreme Court has declared that naked Hindu ascetics, known as Naga sadhus, are not obliged to wear clothes when visiting temples. The court affirmed that their centuries-old tradition of nudity is not obscenity, a decision warmly welcomed by the ash-smeared, dreadlocked devotees of Lord Shiva.
Preparations for PM Oli's China visit completed
The entire preparations for Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s China visit have been completed.
PM Oli is embarking on a five-day visit to China on August 30 at the cordial invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping to attend the SCO Summit.
Apart from attending the SCO Summit, the Prime Minister will attend the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated by issuing a press release on Wednesday.
The high-level participation of Nepal at the SCO is expected to be a great opportunity for Nepal to further deepen Nepal-China relations and increase Nepal's proactive role in multilateral cooperation.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs made briefings to the members of the delegation on Thursday about the PM's visit at the Prime Minister's residence in the presence of PM Oli.
Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai and Chief of Protocol Kumar Raj Kharel shared the details of the program and managerial aspects of the PM's visit.
Prime Minister Oli is scheduled to inform the House of Representatives (HoR) about the visit on Friday, the Prime Minister's Secretariat said.
During his visit to China, Prime Minister Oli is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with Chinese President Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as the heads of state and governments from different countries attending the Summit.
PM Oli will leave for Tianjin City of China on Saturday morning and is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the same evening, according to the Ministry.
Prime Minister Oli will address the SCO Summit in Tianjin on September 1.
The Prime Minister will meet with Han Zheng, Vice President of the People’s Republic of China, in Beijing on September 2.
The PM will return home on September 3.
The Prime Minister will be accompanied by his spouse, Radhika Shakya.
The entourage of the PM will comprise Raghuji Pant, Minister for Education, Science and Technology; Badri Prasad Pandey, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation; Purna Bahadur Khadka, Member of the Parliament; Dr Yuba Raj Khatiwada, Economic and Development Advisor to the Prime Minister; Chhabilal Bishwakarma, Member of Parliament; and the high-ranking government officials.
