China building 'biggest' land port to connect with South Asia via Nepal

BEIJING: China is expanding its engagement with Nepal by building what is being billed as the biggest land port connecting it with the South Asian region as a whole. This is seen by observers as part of a larger move to connect Xigaze with Nepal by rail.

The local government of the Tibet Autonomous Region has said that the Gyirong Port located in TAR's Xigaze Prefecture will begin operations in 2011 although some portion of the construction work will continue even after it is opened to public.

The construction of the land port began in 2009 and the local government has now given instructions to speed up the process.

The purpose is to make Gyirong, the "biggest land trade channel of TAR to South Asia" over the next three to five years, the local government said.

The idea is to apparently build it as a border post larger than Nathula on the India-China border and the existing border post connecting the Chinese town of Zhanmu and the Nepali town of Dram.

There are five other minor points for overland trade on the China-Nepal border, which are Kodari-Nyalam; Rasua-Kerung; Yari (Humla)-Purang; Olangchunggola-Riyo; Kimathanka-Riwo, and Nechung (Mustang)-Legze.

Nepal has offered to import petroleum products from China is it is connected with rail. "Our Government sincerely urges China to consider further extend and upgrade the existing linkages up to the border of Nepal.

An expanded and enhanced connectivity between the two countries also open the avenues for Nepal being a transit country between the two giant economies, China and India," a Nepali government statement said.