Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Wu Chuntai said on Tuesday that China has encouraged efforts to develop Tibet as a gateway to Asia by focusing on infrastructure development along the border.

Speaking at the inauguration of Nepal-China-Tibet Economic and Trade Fair 2015 that kicked off in Kathmandu on Tuesday, he said that China had been working very hard to build infrastructure along its border and cross-border areas in the past years.

Wu added that the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) of China had also given high priority to infrastructure development which would strengthen trade relations with Nepal.

Highlighting the huge progress that TAR has made in the social and economic sectors and the development of infrastructure networks over the last few years, Wu said that Tibet had made extensive advances in the development of railway and road infrastructure and that the track had reached Shigatse.

Likewise, TAR Vice-Chairman Dong said that the trade fairs that been organized regularly for more than 20 years had played an important role in strengthening Nepal-China traditional friendship and promoting trade and economic development.

Secretary at the Ministry of Commerce and Supply Naindra Upadhyay said that the trade fair was an avenue for business people to explore new areas of trade between the two countries.

The trade fair, which is in its 15th edition, has been held every year since 1990 alternately in Kathmandu and in Lhasa or Shigatse of TAR. The Trade and Export Promotion Centre under the Commerce and Supply Ministry, the organizer, said that there were 52 stalls from China and 22 from Nepal.

Chinese entrepreneurs have displayed electronic goods, dairy products, agricultural products, garments, electric motorbikes, electric cooking heaters and other products at the fair which will last for five days. Similarly, Nepali entrepreneurs have showcased handicrafts, metal crafts, gems and jewellery, pashmina, carpet and medicinal herbs, among other products.