Kathmandu, Jan 5 (TIWN) A controversy has erupted in Nepal over Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) after the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu unilaterally declared that the Pokhara International Airport is a "flagship project of China-Nepal BRI cooperation".

At a time when Nepali and Chinese officials themselves admitted that not a single project under the BRI, the multi-billion dollar flagship project of Chinese President Xi Jinping, has been signed in Nepal under the BRI framework, a recent announcement made by the Chinese side in Kathmandu has courted a huge controversy.  The airport was constructed upon a Chinese loan which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ on Sunday but a sudden announcement made by the Embassy on the day of inauguration has created spirals of controversy in Kathmandu.