Signing a 10-point agreement at the end of the six-day meeting of senior customs officials of both the countries held at Lhasa, Chinese customs officials assured the Nepali side that they would grant special privilege of zero customs on Nepali goods that are put under the priority list of exportable goods to China. [break]
Bishnu Pandey, deputy director general of Department of Customs, and his counterpart at the Lhasa Customs signed the pact.
“The Chinese side has responded positively toward our long-standing demands of zero customs for 497 prioritized exportable goods by waiving off customs duty,” Pandey, who is the leader of the Nepali delegation, told myrepublica.com.
The Chinese government recently announced the waiver of customs duty on 4,761 exportable items of least developed countries.
Pandey, however, said only a few items in prioritized commodity list would enjoy tariff free entry into the Chinese market.
“China shouldn´t treat Nepal on par with African countries because we are China´s close neighbor and deserve special privilege,” Pandey said, informing media persons about the stance that the Nepali side took in the six-day meeting.
Both the countries have also agreed to improve facilities at Tatopani, Khasa, Shigatse and Lhasa customs, eliminating local and policy related problems to check cross border smuggling, establishing information exchange network at border points, granting additional facilities to export Nepali goods through Tatopani customs and enhancing the capacity of Nepali customs officials.
Chinese officials have also expressed their interest in developing necessary infrastructure at Kerung of Rasuwa and Pulamyari of Humla to facilitate bilateral trade. China has already initiated works to develop infrastructure for Special Economic Zone at Kerung.
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