BEIJING: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said Nepal-China relations are embedded in the history of civilisations between the land where Shakyamuni Buddha was born and the birth place of Confucius.

The teachings of tolerance, compassion, moderation and harmony are our common heritage, PM Oli added while giving a statement at a reception held in his honour by the Embassy of Nepal in China here on Tuesday.

"Informed by similar cultural norms and values, Nepal and China have always stood beside each other in the past, achieved success and supported each other at times of difficulties," he said, adding that Nepal and China would therefore continue to work together in the future for common development, everlasting peace and prosperity in a spirit of mutual trust, friendship, understanding, close co-operation and collaboration.

PM Oli also shared the fond memories of his visit to China in 2016 as Prime Minister during which the leaders of Nepal and China agreed to elevate bilateral relations to a higher pedestal.

According to him, the rapid and phenomenal advancement of transportation technology had brought profound changes in contemporary society. Transportation is the backbone of an economy, whether in developed or developing status. In fact, economic growth and socio-economic transformation are not possible without an infrastructure base, particularly in transport and communications, he viewed.

Similarly, PM Oli shared that the present government in Nepal had placed high priority on developing transport networks within and across the border. "I believe railway connectivity, in particular, is of vital importance to a landlocked country in order to reduce transaction and transport transit costs, diversify international trade and transit, promote tourism and service sectors of the economy. Therefore, with a view to improve connectivity and trade, Nepal and China agreed in principle to develop railway network, across the Himalayas, during my first visit to China in March 2016."

According to him, Nepal was committed to taking forward this important initiative further and developing cross-border railway infrastructure to mark a new era in Nepal-China friendship and bilateral co-operation. In addition to railways, Nepal and China are also committed to developing multidimensional connectivity networks of roadways, airways, communications, and energy, the PM added.

While Nepal is one of the world’s most fascinating destinations in terms of cultural diversity, natural beauty and adventure tourism, China has emerged as the source of the largest number of outbound tourists worldwide, he argued.

The PM further said both Nepal and China should rejuvenate the Southern Silk Road and further boost their economies for mutual benefit. We should revive such robust economic exchanges between us, and create opportunities for our people.

Agriculture and industrial development through technology transfer are important areas for Nepal-China co-operation, which will create employment for the young people and rejuvenate rural livelihoods, he mentioned.

Arguing that the resourcefulness, creativity and resilience of the Nepali people have received worldwide recognition and acclaim, PM Oli said, "Nepal and China should work together to tap the reservoir of talents through mutual partnership and co-operation."

He was of the view that developing clean energy for own use and possible exchange of surplus power was one of the most potential sectors for Nepal-China co-operation. He called upon Chinese enterprises to take advantage of these vast investment openings by deploying their state-of-the-art technologies in power development for mutual benefits.

Sharing the current situation about Nepal, the PM said leaving behind uncertainty and long drawn-out political transition, Nepal has now arrived at a critical juncture in its political and economic history.

It was no ordinary feat that Nepal has peacefully and successfully accomplished the task of electing representatives to three tiers of government, and put in place a system of grassroot democracy. "My dream of 'Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepalis' is not just a dream but a mandate received from the people of Nepal, and we have no choice but to achieve it, within a stipulated time-frame," the PM reiterated.

To achieve this objective, he called upon all, including Chinese friends such as businessmen and entrepreneurs to join hands together in the journey of common development and shared prosperity.