Two-way trade through Kerung border point resumes

By TRN Online, Kathmandu, Dec. 28: The two-way trade through the Kerung/Rasuwagadhi border point between Nepal and China resumed today.

Trade was halted following the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in April 2020, at the request of Nepal, the one-way freight clearance at Kerung port was reopened.

Six cargo trucks fully loaded with Nepali goods went through the port and entered China as the two-way trade resumed today, according to a press release issued by the Chinese Embassy.

The resumption of the port is expected to augment bilateral trade between Nepal and China, read a press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today.

Hilsa/Purang port has also been opened for one-way trade from 26 December 2022, said the MoFA.

“The Department of Commerce of Xizang Autonomous Region, the Lhasa Customs, the General Station of Immigration Inspection of Xizang Autonomous Region, the Health Commission of Xizang Autonomous Region, and other relevant departments attended the ceremony, and the Consulate General of Nepal in Lhasa was also invited. After the ceremony, six cargo trucks fully loaded with the Nepali goods went through the port and entered into China,” read the press release of the Chinese Embassy.

“The Kerung border port has a time-honored history. Since the 8^th century, Kerung has been an important way of political, economic and cultural exchanges between China and Nepal. In 1961, in order to further facilitate bilateral exchanges, Kerung port was approved to open and in 1987 it was approved as China’s national first-level land port. In recent years, Kerung port has continuously improved its infrastructure and customs clearance efficiency, leading to rapid growth of trade. The total import and export trade volume of Kerung port from 2015 to 2020 reached 14.71 billion yuan.”

“Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, corresponding prevention measures have been taken at Kerung Port. In April 2020, at the request of Nepal, the one-way freight clearance at Kerung port was reopened, which played an important role in ensuring the supply of medical and living materials to Nepal. During the pandemic, Kerung port continuously optimized customs clearance process, and developed a new mode of container hoisting, and the maximum daily freight volume increased to 14 trucks. In 2021, when the pandemic situation in Nepal was the most serious, Xizang Autonomous Region provided a large number of medical supplies to Nepal through the port, including 30,000 liters of liquid oxygen, which built a bridge of life across the Himalaya. This year, Chinese side has worked overtime to complete the customs clearance of the election materials and the Dashain supplies, which played an important role in ensuring the major political agenda and people’s daily life of Nepal. Our port has become the gateway of friendship, development and happiness between the two countries”.

The opening of two-way trade at Kerung port will promote Nepal’s exports to China, reduce the trade deficit in Nepal, solve the trade imbalance, and further improve the connectivity between China and Nepal. It will also help the two countries to complement each other and achieve mutual benefit, as well as jointly write a new chapter in deepening bilateral friendship, exchanges and cooperation, read the press release of the Chinese Embassy.