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Kathmandu, April 2: Officials from Nepal and China agreed to resume two-way trade through a major land border point from April 1.
The decision was taken during the first meeting of the Nepal-China Coordination Mechanism on Border Trade and Cooperation, which was held in Lhasa, the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region of the People’s Republic of China, on Wednesday.
The meeting was co-chaired by Madhu Kumar Marasini, Secretary, Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supply of Nepal and Chen Yongqi, Executive Vice President of the People’s Government of Tibet Autonomous Region of China.
The discussions focused mainly on resuming cross-border trade and people-to-people movement at optimal levels and exploring new avenues of cooperation in border trade and cooperation including smooth operation of land ports, trade facilitation, custom cooperation, border area development, trade was focused on.
We have agreed to make the Rasuwagadhi/Kerung exit and entry points fully operational for two-way trade and people-to-people movement from April 1, Secretary Marcini told local media after the meeting.
According to him, both sides agreed to resume two-way trade through human movement/passenger evacuation from Tatopani/Zhangmu border point and Yari/Pulang border point from May 1, 2023. These two border points remained closed even after the pandemic.
China, which is one of Nepal’s major development partners, closed border points with Nepal three years ago with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. One of them was the Kerung/Rasuwagadi border port. Nepal imports finished clothes, shoes, apples, motor batteries, plastic products through this border point, while the country exports pashmina, carpets, bamboo stools, wheat, ghee, noodles, pasta, biscuits, juices, jams, beaten rice, exports sugar.
Nepali importers trading with China had suffered huge losses due to the border closure, as container trucks bound for Nepal were stranded in various cities in Tibet including Nyalam, Kerung and Shigatse. However, after repeated requests from Nepal, China resumed one-way trade with Nepal in July last year. Since then, limited trade took place through the Rasuwagadhi-Kerung-Geelong border point. Since December last year, China continues to open the Rasuwagadhi-Kerung Ga-Jeelong border point for one-way trade.
In Wednesday’s meeting, the Chinese side agreed to consider Nepal’s request to set up a multi-functional laboratory along the Nepal-China border.
According to a statement issued by Nepal’s consulate office in Lhasa, China has accepted Nepal’s suggestion to provide technical and financial assistance for the construction of a cross-border special economic zone and infrastructure construction on the Nepal side at the Nechung-Liji border port. welcomed.
The diplomatic mission also said that the Chinese side assured to open the Seasonal Border Trading Point on the Nepal-China border to facilitate bilateral trade.
Recognizing the importance of close economic and trade ties between the two countries, the two delegations exchanged views on possible cooperation in a number of areas.
According to the statement, exports to China include agricultural and livestock products such as citrus fruits, dried meat and medicinal herbal products.
During the meeting, the Nepalese side emphasized the need for direct Kathmandu-Lhasa flights and requested the Chinese side to resume direct flights at the earliest.
Both sides also underlined the need to enhance the level of support to improve the livelihood of people living in border districts in the northern Himalayan region of Nepal.
Meanwhile, a Nepali delegation led by Secretary Marasini met Yan Jinghai, Chairman of the People’s Government of Tibet, on Wednesday afternoon.
During the meeting, views were exchanged on matters of mutual interest, including promoting economic cooperation between Nepal and China in general and Nepal and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China in particular, said a statement issued by Nepal’s diplomatic mission in Lhasa. -to be provided.
(Santosh Ghimire is IndiaNarrative’s Nepal correspondent in Kathmandu.)
(This content is presented under an arrangement with Indiannarrative.com)
SGK
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