The Nepali Congress (NC) has reiterated its position that Nepal should receive grants, not loans, from China as part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

In a media interaction after a meeting on Monday, party spokesperson Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat explained that the agreement signed during Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s visit to China does not rule out the possibility of securing grants.

“Our stance remains unchanged: grants, not loans,” Mahat said. “The current agreement does not prevent the government from pursuing grants, although loans may be considered in exceptional cases. We are confident that the government will move forward with the project accordingly.”

Mahat also highlighted that the framework signed during the Prime Minister’s visit to China emphasizes the prioritization of grants.

“With clear statements from the Prime Minister and other leaders that loans should be avoided, there should be no ambiguity,” he added. “This message must also be communicated in Parliament.”

He further stressed the importance of honoring previous commitments for grants made to the Chinese government and ensuring their implementation.