'Dragon Boat Race Festival is new beginning in Nepal-China ties'

Gandaki, June 23: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Sudan Kirati, has said that the relationship between Nepal and China is historical.

Inaugurating the Nepal-China Friendship Dragon Boat Race Festival here today, he opined that the event has added a new brick to bilateral relations. The Festival is organized at the joint initiation of the Embassy of China in Nepal, the Pokhara Metropolitan City and the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB).    

The Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation said the Nepal-China ties which are age-old are cordial so far and expressed the confidence this friendship festival organized in the tourist city of Pokhara would further deepen the cultural and people-level relations between the two countries.  

  
Stating the Festival has made a new beginning to make the ties with China stronger, he urged Chinese nationals to visit Nepal. "I want to invite the respected Chinese nationals to come for a visit to Nepal. We are eager to welcome and honour you in Nepal. Please, come for a Nepal visit," he said.    

On the occasion, the Minister also reiterated that Nepal is committed to the 'one China' policy. According to him, the Nepal-China Friendship Dragon Boat Race Festival is held in a grand manner in Pokhara which is established as a trade transit point between China and India in historical times.    

Ambassador of China to Nepal, Chen Song, stated that Nepal and China have enjoyed economic, social and cultural ties for a long time and expressed the belief the Festival will further consolidate the bilateral ties at the people's level as well.    

Pokhara Metropolitan City mayor Dhanraj Acharya said they see the organization of the Dragon Boat Race Festival in Pokhara as a significant beginning and expressed conviction the arrival of Chinese tourists to Pokhara will increase in the coming days, spurred by this festival. He informed me that the Festival will be continued in the coming days as well.

    
NTB chief executive officer Dhananjaya Regmi believed that the festival will not only support tourism in Pokhara but also in the whole of Nepal.    

Pokhara Tourism Council president Pom Narayan Shrestha said this type of programme organized for the first time in Nepal will add a new dimension to tourism as a whole and will help make Pokhara's tourism activities dynamic.    

As he said, this Festival organized for the first time in South Asia will help promote Nepal across the world and bring more and more Chinese tourists to Nepal in future.    

The boat race and festival is being held for two days- today and tomorrow- with the goal of deepening the cultural and people-to-people level relations between Nepal and China and promoting tourism. (RSS)