Chinese Ambassador expresses confidence towards Nepal’s participation in ‘OBOR’

Kathmandu / March 17: Diplomats and legal experts have said the One Belt, One Road (OBOR) concept forwarded by China would open up door to Nepal’s socio-economic development.

At a workshop on ‘South Asia and China Connecting in the Prospective of OBOR Project’ organized by the Kathmandu School of Law in Bhaktapur on Friday, the participating speakers argued that Nepal should be a part of the project for it opens avenues for Nepal’s development opportunities.

They also said an agreement should be signed on Nepal’s participation in the project during the Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s upcoming China visit and suggested Nepal’s political leadership to rise above the political interest and work for promotion of national interest.

On the occasion, Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Yu Hong said other participating countries beside China too would reap benefits from the OBOR while expressing her confidence towards Nepal’s joining the project. “Talks with Nepal’s top political leadership are on regarding this issue. We have received positive response,” she added.

She also revealed that both the governments are in consultations in connection with the project.

The Chinese Ambassador said over 100 international agencies and countries have signed in the understanding of OBOR so far.

She added that Nepal’s potentials on energy development, physical infrastructure building, trade diversification, investment promotion, tourism promotion, civil aviation, cultural exchanges and people-to-people relations have facilitated Nepal-China development partnership.

Also speaking at the programme, former ambassador Hiranyalal Shrestha said Nepal’s age-old relations manifested through the trade of gold, salt and wool (Sun, Nun ra Un) with China should be transformed into oil and rail (tel ra rail) and added that the OBOR could be an appropriate medium for the same.

Likewise, former ambassador Sundarnath Bhattarai suggested that the government should implement the agreements in letter and spirit signed between Nepal and China during then prime minister KP Sharma Oli’s China visit.

On the occasion, Senior Advocate Bishow Kanta Mainali said that Nepal’s participation in the OBOR should not be delayed as the project is directly associated with development not the politics.

Presenting a working paper on possibilities of OBOR on the occasion, Executive Director of Kathmandu School of Law Dr Yubraj Sangraula stressed for Nepal’s becoming the part of OBOR project by clearing the hurdles to that end at the earliest possible. RSS