Experts, officials see multiple prospects for Nepal in Silk Road plan

Tuesday, March 24th, 2015 | Posted by Hari Kumar Shrestha

Dipesh Shrestha/Republica Foreign Minister Mahendra Bahadur Pandey (2nd from left), Chief Secretary Lilamani Poudyal (R) attending a talk program on “Silk Rout: Enhancing Nepal-China Connectivity” organized to celebrate 60 years of Nepal-China diplomatic relationship at Gallery Baithak, Singhadurbar, Kathmandu on Monday.

KATHMANDU, Nepal – Experts and senior government officials have said that the Silk Road Economic Belt initiative taken by China provides Nepal with a multiple prospects.

Addressing a talk program–Silk Route: Enhancing Nepal-China Connectivity–organized by Institute of Foreign Affairs (IFA) in Kathmandu on Monday on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of Nepal-China diplomatic relations, they also lauded the government’s decision to actively support the Initiative launched by China.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Mahendra Bahadur Pandey said that enhanced transportation network that the Silk Road Economic Belt initiative offers will help Nepal to exploit our potentials on trade, investment and tourism, which have a transformative power to bring positive changes to Nepalese economies. “Our cooperation on Silk Route can help us generate the momentum. The need is to stick to our basics and start from there,” he said.

Pandey said since there is an inter-link between economic well-being and sustainable peace, the Silk Route initiative will give Nepal a much-needed boost to leapfrog towards economic prosperity. “We believe this will further enhance Nepal-China relations and enrich connectivity for the good of common people,” the minister further said.

During a recent visit of Foreign Minister Pandey to China, Nepal and China made an agreement in principle to develop the infrastructures of the Economic Belt by using the $40 billion fund set up by China. The Silk Road Fund Co Ltd was established in December last year in Beijing, after President Xi Jinping announced the creation of the fund in November.

China has been urging neighboring countries to be part of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 20th Century Maritime Silk Route proposal forwarded by Chinese President Xi Jinping. During the meeting, China had proposed to prepare joint project on infrastructure development of Nepal-China Silk Road Economic Belt. This includes development of rail network from Tibet to Kathmandu to Patna, India.

Pandey argued that expansion of Silk Route could benefit not just Nepal but entire South Asia in economic, social and cultural fronts. “The issue of infrastructure development under this initiative also surfaced during my visit to China last week,” he said while recalling Nepal’s decision to sign a four-point document endorsing the initiative in December 2014 in Beijing.

source:http://www.nepalmountainnews.com/cms/2015/03/24/experts-officials-see-multiple-prospects-for-nepal-in-silk-road-plan/