Oli, who was on a five-day visit to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, also held bilateral talks with President Xi in Tianjin on Saturday. "Referring to the recent understanding reached between India and China on border trade through the Lipulekh Pass, Prime Minister Oli stated that the territory belongs to Nepal and that the Government of Nepal has registered its strong objection to the same," reads a statement issued by the Embassy of Nepal in Beijing.
Last month, on August 19, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited New Delhi, where both India and China agreed to reopen Lipulekh as a trade route. This decision has sparked widespread outrage in several parts of Nepal.
Historically, India has claimed Limpiyadhura, Kalapani, and Lipulekh as its own. The issue escalated in 2020, when Nepal released a map claiming the region. Meanwhile, India rejected it, stating that all three regions are an integral part of India, and no unilateral action can change that.
"The issue of Lipulekh was also raised (by the Prime Minister). Regarding that matter, the Prime Minister stated that the Sugauli Treaty of 1816 AD has made the demarcation of Nepali territories; as per which all the areas that lies on the east of Mahakali River is of Nepal and those areas are being used- Lipulekh is being used for trade through an agreement should not have been made and China should not cradle the agreement as Nepal have objection over it, this clear message was conveyed," Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai said in a recorded statement released by the PM Oli's private secretariat.