Kathmandu, July 8

Vice-president Nanda Bahadur Pun has said that the avenues for bilateral relations between Nepal and China have further widened following the signing of Memorandum of Understanding on One Belt and One Road Initiative.

Speaking at Nepal-China Economic and Trade Exchanges Conference organised by the Embassy of Nepal in Beijing with support from Gansu Provincial People’s Government at Gansu International Conference Centre in Lanzhou yesterday, he said Nepal’s participation in the 23rd Lanzhou Trade and Investment Fair was a continuation of its  participation in various such events organised by different provinces of China in order to promote trade, investment, culture and people-to-people relations between the two countries.

“Being a close neighbour of China, it is natural for Nepal to aspire for enhanced level of partnership between the two countries — the fruits of which can be reaped by both the sides,” he added. While calling on the Chinese enterprises to invest in Nepal, Vice-president Pun said Nepal was a virgin land for investment.

He also said that Nepal needed investment, reliable technology, long-term cooperation and sharing of experiences. He thanked the Chinese government for its announcement of marking the year 2017 as Nepal Tourism Promotion Year in China and said Nepal was committed to making the year fruitful.

On the occasion, Vice-Governor of Gansu Province Song Liang shed light on the prospects of furthering relations between Nepal and China, particularly with Gansu Province.

Ambassador of Nepal to China Leela Mani Paudyal highlighted the existing bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

He also stressed the need for more engagements in economic, trade, tourism and investment sectors at the government and people-to-people levels for mutual benefit, according a press release issued by the Nepali embassy in Beijing.

Ambassador Paudyal also answered questions raised by Chinese enterprises about the situation of post-disaster reconstruction, investment in agriculture and tourism, among other issues, in Nepal.