Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to Nepal, the first visit by a Chinese president in 23 years. Xi met with his Nepalese counterpart Bidhya Devi Bhandari. He called for the construction of a trans-Himalayan connectivity network. Bhandari held a welcome banquet for the visiting president and said Nepal wants to play an active role in the Belt and Road Initiative. Xi also met with Nepali Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli and the chairman of Nepal's upper house of parliament and the leaders of the Nepali Congress party and the Nepal Communist Party.

The two countries will now work together to develop a trans-Himalayan connectivity network, covering railways, ports, highways and airways. So how significant is this project, and what would it mean to China and Nepal? Mr. Teng Jianqun, director of American Studies Department at China Institute of International Studies, gives his insight on this.