The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a highly ambitious development strategy put forward by the Chinese government. In September 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the construction of a ‘Silk Road Economic Belt’ during a speech at Nazarbayev University in Kazakhstan.

A month later, during a visit to Indonesia, President Xi proposed the construction of a ‘Twenty-First Century Maritime Silk Road’. Later, these two were combined and presented as ‘One Belt, One Road’ in the Chinese State Council’s plan. It is now called the ‘Belt and Road Initiative’.

In the BRI, ‘Road’ refers to the sea route, while ‘Belt’ refers to the land route. The Belt connects the western part of China with Central Asia, Russia, Europe, the Mediterranean Sea, the Arabian Sea, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and the Indian Ocean. Similarly, ‘Road’ connects China with Europe and Africa via sea routes. The BRI project covers 65 countries, 4.4 billion people, and one-third of the world’s gross domestic product.

This is a project many times larger than the Marshall Plan, which was created by the United States to rebuild Europe after World War II. So far, about one trillion dollars in investment has been confirmed in hundreds of projects.

Here are the projects that have been agreed upon between Nepal and China and are included in the BRI framework:

1. Tokha-Chhahare Tunnel

This tunnel, which is included in the BRI framework, will help reduce the distance between Kathmandu and Rasuwa. During the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Nepal in 2076 BS, it was agreed to build the Tokha-Chhahare Tunnel with a grant. During that visit, China agreed to build a road with a tunnel from Kathmandu to Tokha-Chhahare, Nuwakot’s district headquarters, Bidur, to Betravati and Syafrubensi. The construction of this tunnel was one of the 20 agreements signed with China during that visit. An agreement was also signed between the Ministry of Finance and the China International Development Cooperation Agency regarding cooperation in the construction of the tunnel.

According to the agreement, in the first phase, China was to build a 32-km road including a tunnel from Kathmandu to Nuwakot district headquarters with a grant. The Tokha-Chhahare tunnel was to be 7 km long. The tunnel connecting Kathmandu to Rasuwagadhi would be built in two sections, in which road tunnels would be built at Tokha in Kathmandu and Chhahare in Nuwakot, and at Betravati and Syafrubesi in Rasuwa.

The currently operating main road, Kathmandu-Galchhi-Syafrubesi, is 128 km long. The distance to Rasuwagadhi is 152 km via Kathmandu bypass, Nuwakot’s Bidur, Rasuwa’s Dhunche and Syafrubesi. The Tokha-Chhahare Gangate is 44 km long. This section will be reduced by 12 km when built at Galchhi-Chhahare. Gangate-Betravati is 17 km, Betravati-Mailung is 10 km, Mailung-Syafrubensi is 19 km, and Syafrubensi is 16 km. According to a study conducted in 2071 BS, the Investment Board had estimated that it would cost Rs 26.5 billion to build the tunnel. Later, a preliminary study conducted with the assistance of the Chinese government said that this project would be suitable for moving forward. The study presented three lengths of the tunnel route, 3.3, 3.6, and 4.2 kilometers. The study conducted by the board also estimated the length of the tunnel route to be 4.175 kilometers. After that, the project work did not move forward.

2. Hilsa-Simikot Road Project

The Hilsa-Simikot road project under the North-South Karnali Corridor falls under the BRI framework. This section, which the government has included as a national pride project, mentions that the 2-lane road from Hilsa to Simikot, the Chinese border, will be upgraded. An agreement has been signed with China last Bhadra for its feasibility study. The construction work of the project was started in 069/070 BS. The initial cost of this section was 4.10 billion 50 million 30 thousand. Later, the revised cost has been 15 billion (including blacktop upgrading). Of this project, which will construct/upgrade 146 km of road and construct 10 bridges, 145.2 km of track has been opened so far. Similarly, 15.5 km of gravel and 2 bridges have been constructed.

3. Kimathanka-Khandbari Road and Bridge

The length of the Khandbari-Kimathanka road under the North-South (Koshi) Road Scheme of National Pride is 162 km. The total length of this highway, which connects the southern border of Morang via Rani, Biratnagar-Hile-Leguwa to Kimathanka in Sankhuwasabha, is 345 km. The road section from Rani to Khandbari has been blacktopped, while the work of upgrading the 134 km road section from Khandbari to Chyamtang is currently underway.

4. Geelong-Kerung-Kathmandu Railway

There was no discussion of the Geelong-Kerung-Kathmandu railway until India imposed an undeclared blockade on Nepal in 072 BS. When the problems were being faced due to the blockade imposed by India, the then Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli paid an official visit to China. On the occasion of the visit, a transport and transit agreement was signed on 072 Chaitra 8. The issue of construction of the Kerung-Kathmandu railway also found a place in the course of the same treaty.

A team led by the Deputy Administrator of the National Railway Authority of China, who visited Nepal in December 2017, handed over the pre-feasibility study report of the Kathmandu-Kerung railway to Nepal. The distance from the Rasuwagadhi border post to Kathmandu is 72.25 kilometers. It is said that it will cost about 3 billion rupees to build, 98.5 percent of the railway section will be in bridges and tunnels, four stations and seven tunnels will be constructed. The detailed project report (DPR) of the project is currently being studied. The Chinese team has been given a deadline to complete the DPR by 2026.

5. Amargadhi City Hall Project

This is a new project under the BRI framework. The city hall project is being taken forward in this area along with the Amargadhi Smart City, which is among the government’s 10 smart cities. It has not been disclosed under which aid, whether it is a loan or grant from the Chinese government, this project will be taken forward.

6. Jilung-Rasuwagadhi-Chilime 220 kV Transmission Line

The Ratmate-Rasuwagadhi-Kerung 400 kV transmission line was selected for the purpose of exchanging electricity with neighboring China. The agreement was proposed under the Belt Road Initiative (BRI) during the then Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s visit to China.

The Ratmate-Rasuwagadhi-Kerung transmission line was initially to be built at 400 (kilovolt-kV). However, now Nepal and China have agreed to build a 220 kV transmission line under the Chilime-Kerung single circuit. This is an international transmission line. During the visit of the then Prime Minister Prachanda to China in 2080 BS, an agreement was reached to proceed with this transmission line along with a feasibility study.

7. Madan Bhandari Technical University

Madan Bhandari University of Science and Technology is a new university proposed by the Government of Nepal. The university will be located in Chitlang, Makawanpur district. Madan Bhandari University of Science and Technology was established by promulgating the Madan Bhandari University of Science and Technology Act, 079 (August 3, 2022). The government says that a world-class research-oriented university will directly contribute to the country’s economic development by increasing the competitive capacity of the country’s economy and creating new knowledge and technology.

Nepal-China strategic foundation holds strategic importance as it was agreed to advance this university during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Nepal in 2019.

8. Kathmandu Scientific Center and Science Museum

This is a new project under the BRI framework. However, its detailed details have not been disclosed.

9. China-Nepal Industrial Park Damak

A China-Nepal Industrial Park is being built between the Ratuwa and Mawa rivers with an investment of billions, encompassing some areas of Damak Municipality-10, Kamal Rural Municipality-7, and Gauradaha Municipality-5 in Jhapa. The government has approved the investment of China’s Lhasa Economic and Technology Development Zone Jingping Joint Creation Construction Project Development Company Limited for the construction of the park. An agreement has also been signed between the two countries for this. The park will be built in 10 years. It is stated that the Chinese will operate the park for 40 years and then hand it over to Nepal.

The construction of the industrial park, which will be built on 1,600 hectares, will be completed in four phases. The first phase will involve an investment of 586 million US dollars (63.21 billion rupees). The government says that the industrial park will be the best in South Asia in terms of work, leisure, entertainment and culture. The project will be spread over an area of ​​2,200 bighas and 1,300 bighas of land has been integrated so far. A team from China inspected the land in 2017.

10. Jhapa Sports and Athletics Complex

This is a new project under the BRI framework. The government has stated that this project is being taken forward for the development and expansion of the sports sector. However, its detailed details have not been made public.