Kathmandu, September 8:

A four-day long trade fair has begun at Birendra International Conference Centre at New Baneswor from today with the objective of identifying areas of economic cooperation, trade and investment between Nepal and China.

At the fair, organised by Nepal-China Executive Council and the China’’s International Trade Council (ITC), goods produced in China have been kept on display.

Inaugurating the fair, deputy prime minister and minister for foreign affairs K P Sharma Oli expressed the confidence that the trade fair will be useful to bring industrialists, businessmen and customers of the two countries closer and to develop mutual relations between Nepal and China.

DPM Oli said his recent talks with the commerce minister of China was fruitful in inviting Chinese investment in Nepal and to render easy market access in China for Nepali goods.

On the occasion, Chinese Ambassador Sun Heping said that in the past two months, railway has reached Lhasa from the mainland. The possibility of Nepal taking benefit from China’s economic development has been sought continually, he said, adding that the Chinese government has emphasised attracting Chinese investors to Nepal.

NCC president Surendra Bir Malakar said the trade deficit between Nepal and China should be reduced and new trade routes should be opened and the Chinese railway should be extended upto Nepal and obstacles in Chinese laws should be removed.

FNCCI vice-president Kush Kumar Joshi and chairman of Nepal-China Executive Council Anupranjan Bhattarai said there is a need to organise trade fairs to further consolidate Chinese investment as well as mutual relations.