Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Narayan Kaji Shrestha has said that China is ready to open 14 traditional trade points that were closed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Shrestha informed about the achievements of his China visit at a press meeting organized upon arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA).
Minister Shrestha has said that his China visit has been a success as this visit helped reach agreements with China to open more checkpoints.
Foreign Affairs Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha has returned home today after completing his official visit to the People's Republic of China.
At the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Deputy Prime Minister Shrestha had visited China from March 24 to April 1, leading a Nepali delegation.
While sharing the achievements, Shrestha said that the Rasuwagadhi, Tatopani, Yari and Nechung checkpoints have already been operational and now the Chinese side is ready to open 14 traditional trade border checkpoints at the earliest.
According to Shrestha, both Nepal and China agreed to soon implement the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) by giving it a final touch to its implementation modality.
He also requested to provide free visa to Nepali citizens willing to visit China and the Chinese side responded positively to it, said Shrestha. Nepal has been providing free visa to Chinese tourists since 2016.
The Chinese side has been positive to allow the Nepalis living in the border area to use grazing land in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China and electrify some Nepali villages along the border.
Similarly, both sides have been positive to resume direct bus service between Kathmandu in Nepal and Lhasa in the autonomous region of China.
Minister Shrestha said that he has requested the Chinese side to facilitate the export of Nepali products such as buffalo meat, grass and medicinal herbs, vegetables and fruits, and the Chinese side has promised to provide necessary support in this regard.
According to the information given by Minister Shrestha in the press conference, both sides have agreed to operate more flights between Nepal's Kathmandu and Pokhara and various cities in China.
Minister Shrestha also informed that he called for active participation of Chinese investors from the government and private sectors to participate in the Nepal Investment Summit 2024 to be held in Kathmandu. In response, the high-level leadership has expressed commitment to encourage Chinese investors to participate in the conference, said Shrestha.
During Shrestha's China visit, the Nepali Embassy in Beijing also organized a pre-investment conference. Minister Shrestha also requested Chinese investors to participate in Nepal's upcoming investment summit during that period.
Similarly, the concerned bodies of the two countries will collaborate to successfully celebrate the Visit Nepal Year 2025 in China. Minister Shrestha expressed his belief that this will increase the number of Chinese tourists in Nepal.
According to him, both sides have shown readiness to further expand connectivity between Nepal and China by expanding international roads, railways, air flights, power transmission lines, etc. There was an important discussion about working together to industrialize Nepal, increase productivity and develop manpower, according to Shrestha.
During the China visit, Minister Shrestha also invited Communist Party of China (CPC) Politburo member and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to visit Nepal. Shrestha said that Wang Yi informed that he will visit Nepal at an appropriate time this year.
Nepali Ambassador to China Bishnu Pukar Shrestha, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Krishna Prasad Dhakal, Nepali Consul General Navaraj Dhakal in Lhasa, and Nepali Consul General Suresh Raut in Chengdu among others participated in the delegation.
