Beijing, October 14:

Nepali ambassador to China Tanka Prasad Karki said the northern neighbour was ready to take appropriate steps to reduce Nepal’s growing trade deficit with China and has committed to assist Nepal in every possible ways.

He made this remark at a reception organised by the Nepali embassy in Beijing to celebrate Dashain. Many Nepalis living in Beijing attended the programme and exchanged greetings.

Karki said the formal relations between Nepal and China, started as early as 408 BS after the famous Nepali Buddhist monk Buddha Bhadra visited China, were growing by the day. He said preparations were being made to mark the 1,600th year of Nepal’s ties with China in a grand manner.

The envoy said the Chinese leaders had assured him of opening border trade between the two countries and extending cooperation for increasing investment by Chinese private sector in Nepal.

Present at the programme were embassy staff, their families, Nepalis working in various Chinese companies and Nepali students studying in Beijing.