KATHMANDU, July 24

Visiting Assistant Commerce Minister of China Zhang Xiangchen on Friday paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sushil Koirala at the latter’s official residence in Baluwatar.

During the meeting, the two discussed a wide range issues, including areas of mutual interest and concern, reconstruction efforts in the aftermath of the massive earthquake, continued obstruction of the Araniko Highway due to quake-triggered landslide, maintenance and repairing of the Syafrubeshi-Rasuwagadhi road stretch and resumption of transportation along it and construction of customs office in the area among others.

The Chinese support for expediting construction of the Pokhara Regional-Level International Airport was also discussed during the talks.

PM Koirala highly commended the humanitarian support lent by China in search and rescue operations in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake and expressed gratitude for China’s decision to bear the responsibility to assist in the project operation in reconstruction, said PM’s foreign affairs adviser Dinesh Bhattarai.

According to Bhattarai, Chinese Assistant Commerce Minister Zhang said China would support through the reconstruction assistance project to reconstruct schools, hospitals, Swoyambhunath Stupa and durbar squares that suffered damage in the quake. Zhang also pledged to enhance Nepal’s capability in preventing and containing crisis and help create quake monitoring and research network.

The Chinese government had pledged Rs 77.77 billion in grant assistance for Nepal’s reconstruction during the International Conference on Nepal’s Reconstruction last month.