Kathmandu, July 31: Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Chen Song has paid a courtesy call on Minister of Industry, Commerce and Supplies Damodar Bhandari today.
In the meeting held at the Ministry in Singha Durbar, Minister Bhandari said the relations between Nepal and People’s Republic of China was very close historically, politically and culturally.
He asserted, “I feel that the people-to-people relations and mutual cooperation between the two countries have further expanded the dimensions of Nepal-China relations. I would like to make it clear that the Government of Nepal is ever committed to One-China Policy and is determined not to allow its land to be misused for any kind of anti-China activities.”
Citing the high-level visits exchanged between the two countries in the recent years to further bolster bilateral ties, he assured that Nepal was committed to contribute towards China’s peace, stability and development.
The Minister acknowledged China as an important and credible development partner to Nepal for its socio-economic development.
“China is the second biggest partner of Nepal in the field of trade while it is the first investor in field of Foreign Direct Investment,” he said lauding the important role played by China in Nepal’s bid to development especially in the areas of trade, infrastructures, connectivity, energy, agriculture and industrial development, among others.
He mentioned that the volume of trade between the two countries has increased significantly after the re-operation of border checkpoints. Minister Bhandari, however, lamented that although China is Nepal’s second biggest partner in trade, there was a huge gap between imports and exports.
He said that his Ministry was eager to develop trade related infrastructures, upgrade transportation system, reform the customs services and modernize the logistic system and expressed his confidence that bilateral trade could be significantly enlarged through China’s specialization and benefits from investment.
He also expressed his confidence that dry port, under-construction in support of Chinese government at Timure in Rasuwa, would be completed within the stipulated deadline.
The Minister was also hopeful towards earliest implementation of the principle agreement signed between Nepal and China to develop infrastructures at Korala of Mustang.
He appraised the visiting Chinese envoy that the exploration of petroleum products in Dailekh being undertaken in Chinese government’s support was being accelerated.
Recalling the encouraging participation of Chinese investors in the third Investment Summit organized by government of Nepal in last April, he believed that more Chinese investment would be attracted in Nepal in coming days.
He also admitted that he was very excited to coordinate efforts with the Chinese government to expand the market of Nepali products in China.
In response, Chinese Envoy Song reaffirmed his commitment towards further expanding Nepal-China mutual relations thereby creating a friendly environment.
Stating that China had been a development and trade partner to Nepal, he shared that he has been working towards creating an enabling environment for cooperation by holding interactions with concerned Ministries including the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies.
