China-Nepal-India Economic Corridor in offing

On June 25 local time, Foreign Minister Wang Yi gave an interview to journalists in Katmandu, the capital of Nepal. Wang Yi said, I just visited the Nepalese people affected by the disaster at the refugee camps. A girl told me that she lives in the northern mountain area of Nepal. I told her China is right in the other side of the mountains. She said that yes, she can see China on the top of the mountains. Hearing this, my heart palpitated with excitement by realizing that China and Nepal are truly like an interdependent big family linked by mountains and rivers and a shared destiny.

Wang Yi said, though Nepal is a small country, it is very friendly to China. On issues concerning China’s core interests including Tibet-related issues, Nepal has always supported China firmly and unhesitatingly. Now Nepal is confronted with the difficulties, we should also stand together with it unhesitatingly, for this is what friends are for. Especially with a good and real friend, we will go all out to help. And we want to tell everyone that this is how we treat a good friend. This is also to practice the correct viewpoint of righteousness and benefit advocated by President Xi Jinping as well as to embody China’s neighborhood diplomatic concepts of affinity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness with concrete actions.

Wang Yi said that because of this, we mobilized resources of all parties and took the lead assisting Nepal when we were actively carrying out self-rescue after the Tibet Autonomous Region suffered the same earthquake. The exquisite technique and professional level of Chinese rescue staff established a good image for our country. By attending the international conference in Nepal’s reconstruction in Nepal, I wish to show that China will always stand side by side with the Nepalese people in the post-disaster reconstruction process. We announced a package plan to support Nepal’s reconstruction, and China will comprehensively participate in the reconstruction process from five aspects, namely, free aid, funding support, participation of Chinese enterprises and groups, training talents for Nepal and deepening cooperation between Chinese provinces and regions and Nepal. The above measures have received not only warm welcome from the government and all social sectors of Nepal but also high praise from the international community.

Wang Yi expressed that when taking part in Nepal’s reconstruction, China will fully consult with Nepal and respect its needs and wills. China’s reconstruction measures mainly focus on three key fields of infrastructure construction, improving people’s livelihood as well as improving capability of disaster prevention and reduction and protection and restoration of cultural relics. China’s input in Nepal will surely play an important and positive role in its reconstruction process. We wish that Nepal, a beautiful mountainous country, will be reborn from fire like a phoenix at an early date.

Wang Yi noted that another important achievement of his visit to Nepal is reaching important consensus with India. As two largest neighbors of Nepal, China and India determined to jointly participate in Nepal’s reconstruction and will enhance communication and coordination to this end. Both sides hold that helping Nepal’s reconstruction is a due responsibility of both countries, and the long-term trilateral cooperation among the three countries should be considered. Leaders of China and India have reached consensus on exploring the feasibility of the China-Nepal-India Economic Corridor. He has agreed with Indian Minister of External Affairs that a joint work group should be established as soon as possible to actively explore and promote the process.