Nepal’s $216 million international airport in Pokhara, the country’s second-biggest city, opened in January. China agreed to provide loans to build the airport more than a decade ago.

In August, Nepal’s communist government, led by K.P. Sharma Oli, who has close ties to Beijing, formally requested that China convert the $216 million airport loan into a grant.

Pokhara International Airport in Pokhara, Nepal, as seen on May 28, 2023. Credit: Wikipedia/Hariram Sigdel h Nepal’s connectivity with the rest of the world has been deepening since the country ...