KATHMANDU, August 17: rime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has urged China to provide market access for exportable items from Nepal.
During his meeting with visiting Chinese Vice Premier of the State Council Wang Yang on Wednesday, Prime Minister Deuba made the request in order bridge the ever-widening trade deficit with China. “Nepal has huge trade deficit with China. We want China to provide free market access to Nepal's exportable items,” Prime Minister Deuba said.
According to Prime Minister's Foreign Relations Advisor Dinesh Bhattarai, the prime minister stressed the need for enhanced cooperation in the fields of trade, tourism, investment and infrastructure development. “The prime minister said that Nepal wants progress in the work related to connectivity with China as part of the Belt and Road Initiative,” he said.
FNCCI urges China for duty-free access to Nepali goods
The prime minister stated about the excellent state of bilateral relations subsisting between the two countries and growing economic engagements in various fields. While thanking Chinese government for announcing 2017 as Nepal Tourism Promotion Year in China, Prime Minister Deuba also reiterated Nepal's commitment to implementing the past agreements reached between the two countries.
On the occasion, Vice Premier Wang appreciated Nepal's consistent One-China policy.
Prime Minister Deuba renewed Nepal's invitation to Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit Nepal. Vice Premier Wang said President Xi attaches huge importance to Nepal and wishes to make early visit to Nepal. On the occasion, Vice Premier Wang also extended an invitation to Prime Minister Deuba to visit China at his convenient time.
Separately, Vice Premier Wang paid a courtesy call on President Bidya Devi Bhandari at the latter's office. During the meeting, President Bhandari expressed happiness at the excellent state of bilateral relations between Nepal and China. She also expressed satisfaction at the ongoing mutual cooperation in various fields between the two countries.
The vice premier visited the National Ayurved Research and Training Centre in Kirtipur on Wednesday. Minister for Health Girirajmani Pokharel and Nepali ambassador to China Leela Mani Paudyal welcomed the vice premier at the center, according to a press statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA). Senior officials of the Ministry of Health and the centre had apprised the vice premier of the ongoing activities of the centre and spoke about the prospects of Nepal-China cooperation in the health sector.
Vice Premier Wang is scheduled return home on Thursday morning.
