Nepal, China working on cross-border rail, dry port: Envoy Yu Hong

Nepal and China are working on several key areas including cross-border railway connectivity, highways and construction of a dry port, China's envoy in Kathmandu Yu Hong said today.

Hong's statement comes within days of Nepal cancelling a USD 2.5 billion hydropower project that was to be built by a Chinese state-owned firm.

"China has taken the request of the Nepal government for constructing cross-border railway line seriously," Hong said, adding a team has already begun preliminary feasibility study for the project.

Similarly, the expansion of Rasuwagadhi-Syafrubeshi road link, resumption of Araniko Highway and construction of dry ports in Tatopani, Rasuwa and Yaritoo are also on Beijing's priority list, she pointed out.

Nepal should reap benefits from the prosperity of China, she remarked during a press meet organised on the 19th Congress of the Communist Party of China and Sino-Nepal relations by the Embassy of China in Kathmandu.

"Nepal could benefit from China's prosperity in various sectors including trade, investment and connectivity as Nepal has already joined the China-proposed One Belt and One Road (OBOR) initiative," she said.

The Chinese envoy stated that China was supporting Nepal on the basis of "equal treatment, mutual cooperation and shared development framework".

Sino-Nepal relations have strengthened further in recent times, she said, adding the high-level exchange of visits, feasibility study on railways in Nepal, increasing number of Nepali students in China indicate the "robust" bilateral ties.

She said China was working out to resume Tatopani border point and to smoothly operate Araniko Highway as these were important factors to promote bilateral trades.

The Chinese envoy also praised Nepal's one-China policy, which states that there is only one Chinese government and that the island of Taiwan is a breakaway province that belongs to China.