Learning languages helps to understand each other better: Speaker Mahara

Kathmandu / Apr 21:Speakers at a programme have said learning the Chinese language would not only clear the language barriers but also pave a way for understanding each other.

Speaker at the House of Representatives, Krishna Bahadur Mahara, has viewed that Chinese interest to learn Nepali and Nepali’s interest to learn Chinese helps to know each other and foster relations. Speaker Mahara said this during the ‘2nd Belt and Road Nepal-China Educational Fair’ kicked off in the central capital today.

The Belt and Road programme launched by Chinese has created the potential for cooperation among the countries on various sectors including energy, tourism and education, he added. According to Secretary at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Khagaraj Baral, learning activities and performance of Nepali students pursuing medical degrees in China have, as cited by the Nepal Medical Council, got affected due to lack of knowledge about the Chinese language and the Nepal Medical Council has already drawn the Ministry’s concern towards that end.

They are being failed in the Council exam due to the same reason, he said quoting the council. China is lately becoming one of the preferred destinations of Nepali students. Besides, the rapid pace of development taking place in China has increased the necessity for learning the Chinese language even at home. The Chinese companies are awarded contracts for several development projects in Nepal and the knowledge about the Chinese language is becoming necessary for communications.

Moreover, Chinese products have a growing presence in the international market. Nepal and China have a long history of bilateral cooperation and collaboration and such relations would further be consolidated if the communication becomes more effective, the experts argue.

A Chinese teacher at the Kathmandu University Confucius Institute Wang Shengly said the language is the means of consolidating the bilateral ties. The institute has so far sent 500 Nepali students on scholarship to China. Higher Secondary School Association of Nepal (HISSAN) President Ramesh Silwal also highlighted the need of having the knowledge about the Chinese language before going there to pursue academic degrees as it would support a lot in the learning process.