Report on “Legacy of Friendship: 70 Years of Nepal-China Relations Through the Lens,”
The Girija Prasad Koirala Foundation for Democracy, Peace and Development marked the seventieth anniversary of diplomatic relations between Nepal and the People’s Republic of China with a large-scale commemorative photo exhibition and formal program titled “Legacy of Friendship: 70 Years of Nepal-China Relations Through the Lens,” held at Hotel Malla, Kathmandu, on 5 May 2025. From morning onward, more than five hundred guests including senior leaders of the Nepali Congress, diplomats from the Chinese Embassy, scholars, journalists, civil-society representatives, artists, students and international media filed through a curated gallery of 120 archival photographs that traced watershed moments in bilateral ties, from the establishment of relations in 1955 and the signing of the 1960 Peace and Friendship Treaty to President Xi Jinping’s 2019 state visit.
The official session opened with welcoming remarks by Hon’ble Sujata Koirala. She warmly welcomed all dignitaries, participants and friends of Nepal–China relations. She evoked the enduring legacy of her father, Girija Prasad Koirala, and of B. P. Koirala, recalling how their courage and foresight laid the bedrock of today’s friendship. Expressing heartfelt gratitude to the Chinese Embassy for its support, she affirmed that the photo exhibition stands as a testament to shared history and mutual respect. Mrs. Koirala concluded with a call for even deeper collaboration in trade, culture, education and technology, pledging the Foundation’s commitment to facilitate future initiatives that bring the two peoples ever closer.
Dr. Kalyan Raj Sharma, who reminded the audience that “a picture is worth a thousand words,” invoking a Chinese proverb to underscore the exhibition’s power both to recall a shared past and to chart a “clear roadmap for our future journey.” Dr. Sharma spotlighted the pioneering diplomacy of Nepal’s first elected Prime Minister, B. P. Koirala, whose two-week visit to China in April 1960 laid the foundation of contemporary people-to-people ties and whose 1959 speech at the UN General Assembly championed the rightful seat of the People’s Republic of China. He likewise praised Girija Prasad Koirala’s role in deepening economic cooperation, expanding south-south engagement and cementing trust, urging today’s young politicians and scholars to “join hands together and explore new avenues” of collaboration with a rapidly advancing China. Calling China “a land of opportunity for learning, innovation and business,” he encouraged former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and Foundation Chairperson Sujata Koirala to lead new exchanges across political, economic and academic spheres.
Ambassador Chen Song’s keynote address echoed these themes, chronicling seven decades of solidarity “across mountains and rivers,” applauding successive Nepali Congress governments for their steadfast commitment to the One-China policy, and hailing the upgrade of relations to a Strategic Partnership of Cooperation following President Xi’s 2019 visit. He pledged Beijing’s readiness to “jointly write a magnificent new chapter” with Nepal at this fresh starting point. Former Prime Minister Deuba and Dr. Shekhar Koirala spoke in turn, reaffirming historic party ties with China and voicing confidence that cultural diplomacy such as this exhibition would inspire future generations.
The program had extensive national and international media coverage, coupled with enthusiastic public attendance, underscored the enduring resonance of the Nepal-China friendship. By weaving visual history with forward-looking dialogue, the event succeeded in celebrating an exemplary bilateral relationship while energizing a new cohort of leaders and thinkers to deepen cooperation in the decades ahead.
As a gesture of gratitude, the Girija Prasad Koirala Foundation presented tokens of appreciation to high-level dignitaries, to the Chairperson of the B. P. Koirala Museum, and to Mr. Tara Prasad Banjade in recognition of his invaluable efforts in sourcing photographs and ensuring the program’s success.