Kathmandu, June 20

Minister of Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali today said South Asian states could benefit immensely from the Chinese-led Belt and Road Initiative, given its emphasis on connectivity.

Stating that the pursuit of development could not be realised without comprehensive connectivity, Gyawali said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor under the BRI could play an instrumental role in boosting connectivity in the region.

Gyawali said connectivity was also important for a land-locked country like Nepal. He said BRI assistance could prove crucial in realising Nepal’s target of graduating to a middle-income country by 2030.

“We believe BRI is a reliable and result-oriented platform for cooperation,” Gyawali said at the Fourth International Conference on Belt and Road for Development and Prosperity of South Asia organised in Kathmandu.

On the occasion, Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Hou Yanqi said BRI was a platform for all participants, and added that could help boost economic and social development in the South Asian region.