Nepal has strongly denied media reports that China has been taking over its territory at multiple places with the support of Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli's government.
News agency ANI had said that China has illegally occupied Nepal's land in several places spreading over seven bordering districts citing a report by the Survey Department of Agriculture Ministry of Nepal.
Nepalese government sources have firmly refuted the report, saying that the claim first made by a leading media outlet in Nepal in June had also been denied. The newspaper had also issued an apology for publishing the report.
In a statement then, Nepal's foreign ministry had said, "The news allegedly based on the 'report' of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development which that Ministry has already refuted and clarified stating that such 'report' doesn't exist and that the subject matter doesn't fall under its jurisdiction."
"It may be recalled that the boundary between Nepal and China was delineated and demarcated on the basis of the Boundary Treaty of 5 October 1961 and the subsequent protocols signed between the two countries," it said.
"Boundary Markers No. 37 and 38 reported as missing in the media reports have never been erected as agreed between the two countries owing to natural conditions," the foreign ministry said.
"The Government of Nepal will solve through mutual consultation between the concerned authorities of the two countries in case any issue arises. The Ministry requests the media to verify the information from the relevant authorities before commenting on such sensitive matters which may adversely affect the relations between the two friendly neighbours," it added.
