BEIJING - China welcomes Nepal's independent foreign policy and supports its efforts to develop friendly cooperation relationships with surrounding countries, a foreign ministry spokesperson said Thursday.

Spokesperson Lu Kang made the remarks at a daily press briefing when asked about Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's remarks about the foreign policy at a recent meeting.

According to reports, Nepali Prime Minister Oli recently held a meeting with ambassadors and officials of international diplomatic missions based in Kathmandu to inform them of the government's foreign policy. At the meeting, Oli said independent foreign policy and balanced conduct of relations would be the hallmarks of Nepal's external engagements. He stated that Nepal enjoyed cordial and friendly relations with China and India.

China, Nepal, and India are important neighbors, and China hopes the three sides can increase benign interactions and achieve joint development, Lu said.