Leaders stress policy changes to reap benefits from China

Published On: July 22, 2017 02:40 AM NPT

KATHMANDU, July 21: Senior leaders of various major political parties have pointed out the need for formulating appropriate policy measures to seize the benefits from the economic prosperity achieved by China.

Addressing a day-long seminar organized by Nepal Peace building Initiatives in the capital on Friday, the leaders stressed on the need for common national understanding among political parties on economy, foreign policy and security issues to pursue such policy measures.

CPN-UML standing committee member Surendra Pandey said Nepal needs to be prepared for sending Chinese train back with Nepali products when the rail operations start in 2020 or later. “We should focus on completing roads like Rasuwagadhi to Kathmandu and Nijgadh to Kathmandu if we really want to benefit from China's prosperity,” he said.

Speaking in the seminar entitled “China's shared prosperity dream of President Xi: Opportunities for Nepal,” Pandey said improved connectivity with China would help to bridge the yawning trade imbalance with China.

Speaking on the occasion, senior CPN (Maoist Center) leader and former home minister Shakti Basnet said Nepal needs to have a common national understanding on economy, foreign policy and security in order to reap benefits from rising China. “Otherwise frequent change in government every next year does not help in developing the country,” he said.

Former Nepali ambassador to China Mahesh Massey said Nepali political leadership has to understand that China believes on investment than on aid. “Since there is a difference between Chinese and western development policy model, we need to be clear on what our development model is, how we want to develop our country and what our priorities are before we ask for Chinese help,” he said.

Youth leader of the Federal Socialist Forum Nepal (FSFN) Abhisek Pratap Shah said Nepal should stand ready to reap as much benefits as possible from China's prosperity.

Prof Xu Xi of South West University of Political Science and Law in China, security expert Deepak Prakash Bhatta, former Nepali ambassador to Russia Hiranya Lal Shrestha and senior fellow at Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, New Delhi Pramod Jaisawal, among others, had presented papers at the seminar.