Scholars stress advancing BRI projects, capitalizing on China's development initiatives

Kathmandu, Aug. 6: Senior diplomats and foreign affairs scholars have called for advancing the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects and negotiating for the same as there was a huge financing gap for infrastructure development in the country.     

They stated that the importance of Nepal-China relations has further increased in the present world context and laid emphasis on realizing China’s development initiatives.     

At a programme on China-Nepal Comprehensive Cooperation: Potential and Prospects by Charhar Institute of China in Kathmandu, former Foreign Affairs Minister and Nepal’s Ambassador to China Mahendra Bahadur Pandey said democracy warrants substance, as mere form fails to deliver well.     

He said Nepal as a friendly neighbour should benefit from China’s experience by working for the cause of people’s livelihood and the whole process of democracy that keeps people in centre.     

Likewise, Officiating Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai said as connectivity was the key enabler for socio-economic development, we underline the imperative for building cross-border connectivity through railways, roads, transmission lines, info ways and airways.     

“Early realization of the Trans-Himalayan Multidimensional Connectivity Network will herald a new era of advanced connectivity between our two countries,” Rai said.     

Rai was of the view that the continuous exchanges of high-level visits between Nepal and China have generated a new momentum to strengthen our bilateral ties and paved a path for our relations to greater heights, thereby contributing to expansion of the areas of cooperation.     

Similarly, the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of China in Nepal, Wang Xin, said that Nepal and China could work together to accelerate the construction of the Trans-Himalayan Multidimensional Connectivity Network, unleash the potential for cooperation in agriculture, industry, economy and trade, digital technology and other sectors promoting Nepal’s development and prosperity initiatives.     

Saying that China will work to improve the multidimensional network to connect countries along the Belt and Road, he stated that China will make coordinated efforts to advance both major signature projects and small-scale yet impactful projects for public welfare.     

Likewise, former foreign secretary Dr Madan Bhattarai said that Nepal has always aspired for China's support for its development endeavours.     

Another foreign secretary Madhu Raman Acharya said that the implementation of the BRI projects should not be delayed in Nepal. We should consider Nepal-China relations with great importance as China is a major global power, according to him.     

In his presentation on 'Prospects and Issues on Economic Cooperation between Nepal and China', former Chief Secretary and Nepal's Ambassador to China Leela Mani Paudyal said that Nepal signed the BRI as a platform to promote win-win cooperation that Nepal can get much more benefits from Chinese investment, tourists and bilateral trade.     

Stating that foreign investment was vital for capital formation, Paudyal argued the transfer of technology, skills and managerial knowhow for Nepal is of great significance.     

Paudyal suggested that Nepal and China enhanced high-level political dialogues to reinforce mutual trust and understanding at political levels.     

Likewise, he suggested improvement of border facilities and infrastructures, while identifying four or five products of at least 1 billion RMB worth of business per product annually.     

Prof Dr Cheng Xizhong of Charhar Institute called for strengthening cultural exchanges and promoting understanding between the two peoples to enhance mutual recognition and friendship.     

Emphasizing the need for educational cooperation, Prof Cheng said education is an effective way to promote the development of international relations and an important means to cultivate future leaders and professionals.     

He called for promoting tourism cooperation and setting up a bridge for building a high-quality community of a shared future between China and Nepal, emphasizing the importance of China-Nepal railway connectivity.     

"The China-Nepal railway is not only the physical connection between the two countries, but also the connection of two peoples' hearts. The construction of this railway will greatly promote the development of Nepal's tourism economy, strengthen China-Nepal economic and trade relations so that Nepal will benefit from China's rapid economic development and substantially enhance its independent status," Prof Cheng said.     

Senior Research Fellow at the Charhar Institute Prof Long Xingchun, research fellows at the Institute Dr Wang Xiaoying, Associate Prof. Guo Bingyun, Chen Yucheng and other scholars shared their views on deepening Nepal-China relations on multiple fronts. (RSS)