'Nepal willing to enhance connectivity in Trans Himalayan countries'

By TRN Online, Kathmandu, Oct. 6: Vice-Chairperson of the National Assembly (NA), Urmila Aryal, has viewed that Nepal is open to working together with the Trans Himalayan countries to enhance connectivity.

NA Vice Chairperson Aryal said so while addressing the 3^rd China Xizang Trans-Himalayan Forum held in Linzhi, Xizang Autonomous Region (XAR) of China on Thursday.

We are open to working together with the Trans Himalayan countries and others with such aim of enhancing inter-connections among us. It is with such purpose that Nepal joined the BRI in 2017, and we aim to implement the mega projects including, viz, the Trans Himalayan Railway, Highway, and High Voltage Power Grids as the schemes of highest consideration. These infrastructures are highly beneficial to interlink the Trans-Himalayan region and countries, she said while addressing the Forum.

NA Vice Chairperson Urmila Aryal (front, left) and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (front, right) during a bilateral talks. (Photo: Dilli Malla)

She also made it a point that Nepal has expressed its willingness to expedite the implementation of BRI and its Trans-Himalayan Platform to enhance the linkages for connectivity between China and Nepal, other countries in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Central Asia. "I believe that this Trans Himalayan Forum 2023 will be instrumental in deepening our linkages in the region by all possible socio-economic means, science, and technology". 

Referring to high-level exchanges including that of Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Nepal in 2019 and then the visit of Nepal's President Bidya Devi Bhandari to China in the same year and the recent visit of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' to China, the NA Vice Chairperson said that the exchanges have "helped to further strengthen our bilateral relations. The increased communication, contacts, and cooperation at various levels of our nations have helped generate tremendous goodwill towards each other."

She noted that the understandings made during PM Prachanda's recent China visit "will pave the ways to further enhance connectivity by means of the strategic road networks and highways, air-ways, railways, and transit facilities, and the renewable energy development and electricity-transmission lines".

NA Vice Chairperson Aryal reiterated Nepal's firm adherence to the One China Policy both in principle and practice.

Talking about the Forum's significance, she said, "The Trans-Himalayan Forum has remained an important institutional platform to enhance connectivity and to develop cooperation among the countries of this region. This Forum will provide broader prospects and opportunities to exchange ideas, and to pave the way for further cooperation among the countries in an open environment". 

Lawmakers Ramesh Jung Rayamajhi, Gopi Achhami, Anita Devkota, Narapati Luwar, Madan Kumari Shah and Mohammud Khalid are in the delegation led by NA Vice Chair Aryal. Similarly, other members of the delegation are Vice Chair Aryal's private secretary and under-secretary at the federal parliament secretariat, Sanjaya Dahal, Press expert to the Vice Chair Aryal, Dilli Malla, personal secretary Ramakanta Prasad Chaudhary and officer of the secretariat, Praval Paudel, according to Dilli Malla, press expert to NA Vice Chair Aryal.

Full text of the statement

Key Note Statement  in the China Xizang Trans-Himalayan Forum,

Tibet Autonomous Region of China,

Linzhi , 5^th October  2023,

By

Ms. Urmila Aryal,

Vice Chair Person, National Assembly,

National Parliament, Nepal

H. E. Wang Yi, Foreign Minister, People’s Republic of China

H.E. Wang Junzheng, Party Secretary of CPC, Tibet Autonomous Region, China

Excellences and Distinguished Participants

Ladies and Gentlemen

Good Morning ! Namaste! Ni Hao! 

1.      At the outset, I would like to extend our sincere thanks to the Government of People’s Republic China (PRC) and the Organizing Committee of the 3^rd China Xizang Trans-Himalayan Forum for inviting Me and --- Our Delegation from Kathmandu as well as the Nepalese Embassy in Beijing and its Consulate Office in Lhasa --- to this grand event of China Xizang Trans-Himalayan Forum.

Similarly, let me take this opportunity to express our deep appreciation to the Government in Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) of China for welcoming us, and for providing a very warm hospitality to us in this beautiful city of Linzhi (Nyngchi), Xizang Autonomous Region (XAR) of China. 

We in Nepal, China and other stakeholder countries have a  common responsibility to develop this Trans-Himalayan Forum  to protect and to develop our respective civilizations.

Excellences and Distinguished Guests,

2.      Nepal and China have been  close neighbors, reliable friends and trusted partners. Historically, the Tibet Autonomous Region/China has a special significance in Nepal-China relations, and this relation would continue in future. For Nepal,  the TAR is practically the only bordering region of Nepal to access the mainland China and, through China, to many other countries in the East, North and Western regions of Asia and beyond. This is more so in the context of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) for more of the growing engagements and interactions among us in future. Nepal firmly adheres to the ‘One China Policy'. To this principle, Nepal’s commitment is unequivocal and unshakable. It is our unwavering commitment not to allow any inimical activity against China in our soil. We remain steadfast in this commitment.

3.      The exchange of high-level visits from both sides at regular intervals has helped to further strengthen our bilateral relations. The increased communication, contacts and cooperation at various levels of our nations have helped generate tremendous goodwill towards each other. At the highest level, President Xi Jinping visited Nepal in 2019 and, likewise, President Mrs. Bidya Devi Bhandari visited China in the same year. Subsequently, our National Assembly  Chairperson Mr. Ganesh Prasad Timilsina visited the Xizang Autonomous Region, and mainland China in June 2023. Very recently, our Prime Minister Mr. Puspakamal Dahal ‘Prachand” has just completed the official visit of China in September 2023. During these visits and meetings, Nepal and China have reached to many important agreements, understandings, and consensus.

In the above contexts, let me refer to the Nepal-China BRI Framework Agreement May..., 2017,  and the ‘Joint-Statement between the PRC and Nepal’ September 26, 2023.  Such commitments among us have strengthened the bilateral relations and the economic cooperation.

In addition to the above high-level visits, many other bilateral exchanges of government officials, party leaders, business community, professionals have taken place between Nepal and China in recent years. Such mutual consultations are very helpful to develop plan of actions to implement the Agreements between two Countries. 

4.      We deeply appreciate the continued support of China to Nepal’s development efforts. Nepal remains grateful to China for its prompt and generous support during the Covid-19 pandemic. The supply of liquid oxygen and anti-COVID medical supplies, for the first time in Nepal, assisted by the TAR government has contributed to save many lives in Nepal.  I am happy to share that Nepal is graduating from the least developed country (LDC) to the developing country (DC) status by 2026.  The support of China was important to achieve this transformative goal and process. We expect continuous support after this graduation as well, particularly in the area of trade,  transit, investment and finance.

Excellences and Distinguished Guests

5.      In the year 2023, after the Pandemic, Nepal and China have made substantial achievements in terms of enhancing the connectivity and bilateral exchanges. We have resumed trading through three international land border ports (Khasa-Zhangmu, Rasuwadadhi-Geyrong, and Yari-Burang), and are in the process of opening other three bilateral land trans-border points (Lizi-Korala, Chentang-Kimathanka, and Riyu-Olangchunggola), as well as the local-trade routes.

In addition, the several agreements and understandings concluded between China and Nepal in September will pave the ways to further enhance connectivity by means of the strategic road networks and highways, air-ways, railways, and transit facilities, and the renewable  energy development and electricity-transmission lines. As Nepal is a partner in the BRI process, we wish to contribute to the trans-regional agenda, which are essential help to develop the trade, transit and connectivity among the economies and the countries.

6.      We, the Countries in the Trans-Himalayan Region, are fascinated by the unprecedented socio-economic progress of China during the last decades.  China has become a moderately prosperous nation by completely eliminating the extreme poverty, and modernizing the society. I take this opportunity to congratulate President Xi Jinping, the Government of PRC, and the Chinese people for such great achievements.   I  understand that this  Forum is a very important effort of China for bringing the Trans Himalayan nations together for their common prosperity and development. 

Excellences and Distinguished guests

7.               The Trans-Himalayan Forum has remained important institutional-platform to enhance connectivity, and to develop co-operation among the countries of this region. This Forum will provide the broader prospects and opportunities to exchange ideas, and to pave way for further co-operations among the countries in an open environment.  This Forum will support not only the BRI, but also promote the socio-economic interactions including the trade, transit and investment among the countries.

8.               Nepal has expressed its willingness to expedite the implementation of BRI and its Trans-Himalayan Platform for enhancing the linkages for connectivity between China and Nepal, other countries in South Asia,  Southeast Asia and Central Asia. We are open to work together with the Trans Himalayan countries and others with such aims of enhancing inter-connections among us.   It is with such purpose that Nepal joined the BRI in 2017, and we aim to implement the mega projects including, viz, the Trans Himalayan Railway, Highway, High Voltage Power Grids as the schemes of highest considerations. These infrastructures are highly beneficial to interlink the Trans-Himalayan region and countries.  I believe that this Trans Himalayan Forum 2023 will be instrumental to deepen our linkages in the region by all possible socio-economic means, science and technology. 

9.               Finally, let me express my sincere thanks, to the Xizang Autonomous Government/China, and to the Organizing Committee of the Trans Himalayan Forum for inviting our Nepal delegation in the Forum, and avail the opportunity to proposes our views, and learn from the thoughts of all stakeholders, and create our synergy for our common goals. I wish for the grand success of the Forum.

                                       I thank you all .Xie! Xie! Tashi Delek!

END OF STATEMENT