KATHMANDU, May 21 -- At a time when the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) remains sharply divided over whether the $500 Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) grant agreement should be endorsed by the parliament in the current form or with some amendments, a senior US State Department official expressed hope that Nepal 'does not take dictation from China' on the issue of the MCC grant that Nepali side agreed earlier to utilize for developing power transmission lines and road projects.

Speaking to journalists from Central and South Asia during the virtual press briefing on Wednesday,Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs of Department of State Alice G Wells expressed displeasure over unnecessary...