KATHMANDU, March 14: Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) and Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport, Narayan Kaji Shrestha has requested the Chinese authorities to facilitate import and export by operationalizing the Kerung and Tatopani border crossings.

Minister Shrestha made this request on Monday in a meeting with Zhang Shaogang, vice president of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), the umbrella organization of the Chinese government for foreign investment.

Stating that China is Nepal's second biggest trading partner, DPM Shrestha emphasized reducing the trade deficit between China and Nepal and moving forward on the basis of mutual understanding. Minister Shrestha said that Nepal is firmly committed to one-China policy and said that Chinese investment will always be welcomed.

Zhang said that although the nearly four-year-long COVID-19 infection had affected China's foreign investment and trade, China has now come to an open and comfortable state from the pandemic. He said that due to the pandemic, there was no exchange of visits between China and Nepal and it also affected business.

Stating that Nepal is an old and close friend of China, he said that the purpose of his visit is to ensure more investment in Nepal. Zhang said that China will openly support Nepal's idea of building a large-scale technological industry.

 
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