Miscellaneous

Officials call for opening trade routes with China

With the government exploring ways to diversify trade in the wake of the India blockade, the focus has now shifted to opening more trade routes with China and developing infrastructure at northern border points. Officials call for opening trade routes with China

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Prithvi Man Shrestha

Published at : December 3, 2015

Kathmandu

Top government officials, including ministers, have carried out a flurry of inspection visits to northern border points of late. Deputy Prime Minister Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar, along with Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel, inspected the Rasuwagadhi Customs on November 27. The Parliamentary Development Committee (PDC) also surveyed two border points-Rasuwagadhi of Rasuwa and Korala of Mustang.

The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport recently forwarded a proposal to the Cabinet, seeking to upgrade the Betrawati-Rasuwagadhi section into a double-lane road in order to facilitate bilateral trade between Nepal and China.

With imports through Tatopani obstructed after the April 25 earthquake damaged infrastructure on both sides of the border, Rasuwagadhi border point is being used for bilateral trade.

With the government holding talks with the northern neighbour for commercial imports of petroleum products, upgrading the road to Rasuwagadhi has now become a priority.

Out of nine border points with the northern neighbour, only three points-Rasuwagadhi, Tatopani and Korala-are connected through roads.

The house committee that inspected Rasuwagadhi and Korala border points has suggested that the government categorise the road connecting Rasuwagadhi as national pride project and widen it at the earliest.

According to Rabindra Adhikari, Chairman of the PDC, Korala border point can be used for bilateral trade by setting up necessary offices on both sides.

“Upgrading the rough road to Korala could be helpful in expediting bilateral trade,” said Adhikari, adding that his team has already emailed a preliminary report to the Prime Minister’s Office.

Lawmaker Srimaya Thakali, who was part of the parliamentary team, said the Korala border point is best suited to serve as an

important trade corridor between Nepal and China, as it is already linked through a road. According to her, despite road connectivity, the border point has not been in operation for the last six-seven years, as the Chinese side has put wire fences to stop cross-border movement of goods and persons.

“The government should seriously hold dialogue with China to bring this border point into operation,” said Thakali.

Customs officials from Nepal and China on November 5 had agreed to bring seven of the nine border points into operation for bilateral trade while making earthquake-affected Rasuwagadhi and Tatopani points functional.

Nepal has set up customs offices at Chhoser village in Mustang, Larke in Gorkha, Kimathanka in Sankhuwasabha, Lamabagar in Dolakha, Yari in Humla, Mugu village in Mugu and Olangchungola in Taplejung.

“After the agreement, we had written to our Consular General Office in Lhasa to follow up the developments,” said Damodar Regmi, Deputy Director General at the Department of Customs (DoC). “We have set revenue target of Rs 500,000 for Larke and Mustang and Rs100,000 each for other five customs offices,” said Regmi.

According to the Department of Customs, a follow-up meeting between local customs officials of Rasuwagadhi and Tatopani and their Chinese counterparts has been scheduled for the first week of December.

Northern points

Rasuwagadhi (Rasuwa)

- Connected with road. Currently the only border point used for bilateral trade

Tatopani (Sindhupalchowk)

- Connected with road. Not in operation after April 25 quake

Korala (Mustang)

- Connected with road. In operation. Limited cross-border trade at local level

Larke (Gorkha)