BRI will boost investment, tourism: Prof. Bingwei Tian

By Nanda Lal Tiwari, Kathmandu, Dec 10: A Chinese scholar who has been involved in humanitarian diplomacy in Nepal has remarked that BRI Cooperation Framework that Nepal and China signed recently will attract more investment and tourists from China to Nepal.

Talking to The Rising Nepal online, associate professor of Sichuan University, Bingwei Tian, who was here for a conference, viewed that the signing of the Framework has indicated deepening relationship between the two neighbours and that it will have a great implication for Nepal's overall development.

BRI Cooperation Framework has positive message for Chinese businesses to invest in Nepal.

In response to the question about possibility of growth of Chinese investment in Nepal as the BRI Cooperation Framework has been signed, Prof. Tian viewed that the signing has sent a positive message to investors in China about Nepal. “ The signing of the cooperation framework was a big news in China. Chinese business people often follow the big news and start exploring the opportunities for investment. As it is usual for the business community anywhere, the Chinese do see the extent of policy support in the host country for the investment. As there are already some Chinese investors doing business in Nepal and the government Nepal has expressed readiness in the recent BRI Framework to further simplify the investment policy and thus provide support, I believe number and amount of Chinese investment will grow in Nepal.”

Chinese tourists will increase in Nepal soon.

When asked about the potential of the increase in Chinese tourists in Nepal, Prof. Tian suggested that Nepal needs to make Chinese people informed about its both cultural and natural beauty. Sharing an anecdote about his conversation with one of his friends, he said many Chinese have an image of Nepal as a country with high altitude, similar to Tibet of China. He pointed out at the need of media advertisement and cultural events across China so that people have a better understanding of Nepal, which can result in greater number of Chinese tourists.

Many Chinese know little about Nepal, so Nepal needs to work for advertisement, hold events to inform people.

“Just when I was planning to come here this time, I asked one of my friends- let’s go to Nepal. He replied, it’s a high land country and this time being winter, now it is very cold. Hearing his view, I was simply surprised. I explained to him that Nepal is a country of diversity in terms of topography, cultural and natural beauty. I understand Nepal is a beautiful country and it has both low land and high land, and in most part of the country the climate is temperate, neither too cold nor too hot. I think image of Nepal in the mind of the Chinese people is built by a little information, similar might be the case with regard to the image of China in the mind of the Nepalis. This calls for more exchanges, cultural events in both the countries.”

Nepal is a beautiful country with temperate climate in most parts.

With a view to motivating people to visit Nepal, China is marking 2025 as Nepal Visit Year. Different events at the national and local levels are being planned for. It is expected that this will have a positive impact on Nepal’s tourism with regard to the arrival of the Chinese tourists. When asked about this, Prof. Tian said, “ This will have a big positive impact on Chinese people to visit Nepal. I understand that representatives of local and provincial governments from Sichuan, Tibet and Yunnan will come first to Nepal and make the announcement. I think there will be many events about Nepal across China throughout the year. Nepal needs to hold tourism promotion evens in cooperation with local governments in China in addition to the central ones so that people know about Nepal even at the grassroots level”.

In response to the possible barriers to the implementation of the 10 projects listed in the BRI Cooperation Framework, Prof. Tian observed that no barriers have been seen so far as both Nepal and China are positive to push forward the projects and that the projects are specific now. “I think we started BRI in Nepal in 2017 with the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Many factors affected in execution of the projects. Maybe, the geopolitical ambitions of India and the US also played role in the meantime. Now that the Framework has been signed and more detailed work plan will come out soon. As both Nepal and China are positive about the BRI projects to be implemented this time in Nepal, I hope all barriers and challenges will be tackled and the projects will be implemented.”

BRI is to unite countries, not divide them, for development.

Asked about the minor narrative in Nepal that BRI might lead to debt trap as that of Sri Lanka, Prof Tian dismissed such narrative as rumour and urged all to check facts about Sri Lanka where China is not the largest lender. “BRI is for win-win situation, cooperation and we have three Cos such as co-build, co-discussion and co-share. BRI is for development, joint investment that results in economic growth of the host country. In case of Nepal and China, BRI is to unite the neighbours, bring them together on development path, not divide them. It is for caring for each other, not ignoring. 

Natural and cultural diversity including the Himalayas make Nepal unique in the world.

Prof Tian has visited Nepal for over a dozen times in a decade since 2015. He has been involved in providing assistance to earthquake and landslide victims in Nepal in addition to student exchange programmes. In his initiatives, two conferences were held in Sichuan University on South Asia Disaster Risk Reduction in 2017/2018 bringing together politicians including NP Saud from Nepal, professors, think tanks and media also from countries such as India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and even Thailand. Prof Tian says he has taken three groups of students from Nepal to China for experience sharing and learning about disaster risk awareness while he has also brought Chinese students to Nepal for learning about disaster impact, Nepal’s culture and environment.

Nepal is not only a bridge for Asia but also a gate to China to work in this region.

When asked about his image of Nepal, Prof Tian says, “I like diversity of Nepal. Nepal’s nature and culture are unique. Nepal’s Himalayas are unique in the world. Nepal is like Switzerland, with sunshine, friendly people, beautiful mountains. Nepal’s north part has high land while in the south it has low land plains. Nepal is not a bridge for Asia but also a gate to China to work in this region.”