Environment Minister Shahi, Administrator of China's NFGA, Liu, meet

Kathmandu, May 23: Minister for Forests and Environment, Ain Bahadur Shahi, Thakuri, who is in China, and Administrator of National Forestry and Grassland Administration (NFGA) of China, Liu Guohong, held a meeting.     

Talking about historic relations between Nepal and China, Minister Shahi shared that Nepal, as a close friend, development partner and good neighbor of China, carters high importance and priority to its relations with China, according to Minister Shahi's Secretariat.     

He further said regular exchange of visit at various levels has reinforced the existing relationship between the two countries.     

Minister Shahi urged NFGA for joint cooperation work in the genetic improvement of bamboo and rattan, collaboration to establish forestry-based aromatic industries such as distillation of essential oils and others, developing mechanism to learn and cooperate from each other in the field of eco restoration, disaster risk reduction and reclamation of desert and marginalized land.     

Similarly, he requested for technical assistance from China in wood processing, developing bamboo and rattan products, in establishing forestry based small and medium sized enterprises particularly to enhance processing industries in different parts of Nepal.     

 As a chair of the 13th Council of International Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR) Organisation, Minister Shahi left for Beijing, China, to attend the meeting .(RSS)