30 cargo vehicles enter Nepal through two border crossings with China

KATHMANDU, Sept 16: The two major border crossings closed by China have been reopened. China has opened the border points since Thursday after ethical questions were raised about the closure of the border crossings with Chinese Communist Party (CPC) leader and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), Li Zhanshu, who visited Nepal recently. It is said that the checkpoints were opened only to release goods stopped in transit.

On the first day of the opening of the checkpoint, 28 vehicles stranded in China entered Nepal through the Rasuwagadhi border point and two vehicles through the Tatopani checkpoint, according to the customs office. China, which has unilaterally closed the two major border crossings with Nepal under the pretext of COVID-19, has said that it will only let the goods out that are stranded in 'transit'. Ram Prasad Mainali, chief of Rasuwagadhi Customs Office, said that 28 vehicles entered Nepal on the first day. "The goods stopped in transit have started to be sent," Mainali said, "We have been informed that the checkpoint has been opened only to release the goods that have been stopped."

The border was opened only for a few days after the political leadership of Nepal requested the opening of the border to Zhanshu who was on a visit to Nepal. China had closed the Tatopani and Rasuwagadhi border crossings since last month citing COVID-19. Traders have said that the problem will not be solved just by sending goods stopped in transit.

Nepali traders suffer when China closes the major trade routes between the two countries, Tatopani-Khasa and Rasuwagadhi-Kerung. According to international law, border sharing countries are not allowed to block transit of landlocked countries, but China has been blocking them under various excuses.

China, which has agreed to provide transit facilities to the landlocked country of Nepal, has repeatedly closed the border. In 2016, an agreement was also reached between Nepal and China to provide transportation facilities. Although Nepal has access to the sea through the Chinese road, it has not been able to fully utilize it.

China has been tightening the border points with Nepal citing various reasons because, according to sources, it thinks that an open border could give rise to ‘Free Tibet’ activities. After the closure of the border, there have been repeated problems in the trade between Nepal and China, but the long-term problem has not been resolved. China's trade blockade, which started after the earthquake, has found continuity in various ways until now.