According to Chinese foreign ministry statements cited in a Reuters report, Wang told Khanal that China places Nepal at the forefront of its “neighbourhood diplomacy” and reaffirmed Beijing’s support for Nepal’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The visit comes as China and India continue to compete for strategic influence in Nepal, a country of around 30 million people situated between Asia’s two largest economies, both of which have longstanding political and border tensions.

Analysts say Nepal’s shifting political leadership has created uncertainty for Beijing, particularly as infrastructure projects linked to China’s Belt and Road Initiative have faced delays and financing disagreements in recent years.

During the talks, Wang reiterated China’s willingness to expand cooperation with Nepal in infrastructure development, including energy, transport and aviation projects, while emphasising continued engagement under the Belt and Road framework.

The report noted that Nepal has received substantial financial engagement from both China and India, with infrastructure investment and lending forming a key part of their respective regional diplomacy strategies.

China is also seeking to strengthen ties with Nepal at a time when it faces broader geopolitical competition in South Asia, while Nepal’s leadership has signalled an interest in maintaining balanced relations with both Beijing and New Delhi.

The meeting underscores Kathmandu’s effort to navigate competing regional interests while addressing domestic development priorities and political change following its recent election cycle.

The Istanbul-to-Kathmandu flight ignited after sparks emerged from the aircraft’s right landing gear during landing, according to Gyanendra Bhul, a spokesman for Nepal’s civil aviation authority.

“All aboard are safe, the rescue part is over. We are now investigating the accident,” Bhul told AFP.The incident briefly disrupted operations at Nepal’s busiest international gateway, with the airport’s sole runway closed for nearly two hours before reopening later in the morning.

Authorities did not immediately disclose the extent of damage to the aircraft or specify the model involved in the incident.The accident renewed scrutiny of aviation safety in Nepal, a mountainous nation known for difficult flying conditions, remote airstrips and rapidly changing weather patterns that have challenged pilots and airlines for decades.

Nepal’s aviation sector has faced repeated criticism following a series of fatal crashes in recent years. The European Union continues to blacklist all Nepalese airlines from operating within EU airspace over safety concerns.

In response to mounting international pressure, Nepalese authorities last year announced plans to upgrade aviation infrastructure, including installing improved radar systems and enhanced weather-monitoring equipment.

Monday’s accident also revived memories of a previous runway incident involving Turkish Airlines in Kathmandu. In 2015, a Turkish Airlines aircraft carrying 224 passengers skidded off the runway at Tribhuvan International Airport during landing.

No passengers were injured, but the disabled aircraft shut the airport for four days, triggering widespread international flight cancellations.