KATHMANDU, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) — Nepal and China on Saturday agreed to establish three additional trading points in view of boosting trade between the two countries.
The two countries reached an agreement in this regard during the sixth meeting of China’s Tibet and Nepal Trade Facilitation Committee in Kathmandu, Nepal’s Ministry of Commerce and Supplies said in a press statement on Saturday.
As per the deal, the two sides will carry out a feasibility study soon in a bid to establish three new trading points in Gorkha, Dolakha and Mugu, which are Nepal’s bordering districts with China’s Tibet Autonomous Region.
The proposed border points between the two countries are Chhekampar and Larke areas of Gorkha District, Lamabagar area of Dolakha District and Mugu District on the Nepali side.
“Six trading points — Olangchugola, Kimathanka, Tatopani, Rasuwagadhi, Mustang and Yari — were opened between the two countries in the past. Now we have decided to establish three new trading points,” Joint Secretary at the Nepal’s Ministry of Commerce Jibaraj Koirala who led the Nepali delegation in the meeting told Xinhua.
The two-day meeting also decided to accelerate renovation of Nepal-China customs points — Khasa and Rashuwagadhi — which were devastated by April 25 earthquake and ensuing aftershocks.
At the meeting, the Chinese side expressed readiness to complete the construction of Larcha Dry port at the earliest as per the agreement reached between the two countries.
Reiterating China’s commitment in Nepal’s rebuilding process, head of the 10-member Chinese delegation assured the Nepali officials that China would continue to provide assistance to Nepal.
Koirala expressed gratitude to the Chinese side for helping the country reopen the Araniko highway, which links the two nations but was blocked due to the landslides triggered deadly earthquakes.
The next meeting of the Nepal-Tibet Trade Facilitation Committee will be held in Tibet in 2016, officials said.