by admin | May 25, 2021 | World
Nepal’s Foreign Secretary Shankar Das Bairagi (L) meets with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi
Beijing : Nepal’s Foreign Secretary met China’s Foreign Minister here on Thursday to boost bilateral cooperation and discuss issues of mutual interest, officials said.
Shanker Das Bairagi met Wang Yi at the Diaoyutai Guest House in Beijing ahead of the 12th meeting of Nepal-China Bilateral Consultation Mechanism that was held later in the day, the Nepalese Embassy in Beijing said in a statement.
“The two sides held substantive and fruitful discussions on the entire gamut of Nepal-China relations and reviewed the status of bilateral cooperation,” the Embassy was cited as saying by Efe news.
During the meet, the two countries agreed to boost bilateral relations through cooperation in various sectors, including connectivity, infrastructure development, trade, investment and energy.
They also agreed to expedite implementation of past agreements and projects under bilateral cooperation agreements.
China expressed its willingness to lend support to Nepal’s development efforts, according to the statement.
Beijing has been trying to increase its influence in the landlocked Himalayan nation — which has traditionally been dependent on India for trade and economic support — through investments in infrastructure and financial aid.
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | World
K.P. Sharma Oli
Kathmandu : Launching a fleet of battery-operated buses Nepal Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli has said that his country will reduce dependence on imported petroleum products by 50 per cent or even more by the year 2050.
Developed by Chinese company BYD the public fleet was inaugurated at a special function in Lalitpur on Tuesday by Oli who promised to move towards a cleaner environment and greener economy.
“Our overall national goal is to reduce dependence on imported petroleum products by 50 per cent or even more by the year 2050,” he said.
The conversion of public transport to domestically-produced electricity would displace the expensive imported gasoline and diesel, Xinhua news agency quoted Oli as saying.
He said Nepal was going to be self-reliant in hydropower within the next few years and the government aimed to ensure that at least 20 per cent of the overall vehicles would run on electric power by 2020.
In the initial phase, five electric buses would ply on capital’s streets here. Then the fleet would extend to Lumbini, the birth place of Lord Buddha, after the construction of the international airport is completed in the region within the next 10 months.
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Investing, World
Kathmandu : Nepal and China have agreed to facilitate joint investment in the power sector, according to a joint statement issued by both sides after a meeting here.
The meeting of the Nepal-China Joint Implementation Mechanism was conducted on Friday as a stepping stone to implement the Memorandum of Understanding on Energy Cooperation signed by the energy ministers of both countries during the visit of Nepali Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli to China in June, the Himalayan Times reported on Saturday.
According to the joint statement, both sides introduced their power systems, investment prospects, power markets, future plans among others to make both sides familiar with each other’s power system.
The joint statement said that during the meeting, possible energy collaboration and the possibility of developing cross-border interconnection were also discussed.
Dinesh Ghimire, a spokesperson at Nepal’s Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation (MoEWRI), told Xinhua news agency that the two sides agreed to prepare a power system cooperation plan once the Nepali and Chinese authorities give the go-ahead.
“A joint working group will be formed to prepare the plan,” Ghimire said, adding that the plan will also involve the identification and selection of energy projects for joint development.
The Nepali team was led by Anup Kumar Upadhyay, secretary at MoEWRI, while the Chinese delegation was led by He Yang, an official at the National Energy Administration of China.
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | World
Kathmandu : The Nepal government revealed in a report that some travel, trekking and rescue agencies have been involved in “unnecessary rescues” for foreign tourists to scam a large amount of premiums from insurance companies by making false claims.
The government on June 4 formed a fact-finding committee headed by Ghanashyam Upadhyay, a joint secretary of Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, to probe the claims that insurers are paying high premium for tourists who visit Nepal due to high cost related to fake rescue missions and high medical bills, reports Xinhua news agency.
The committee on Monday submitted the 700-page report to Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Rabindra Adhikari.
“The committee has recommended taking legal actions against eight travel, trekking and rescue companies, four hospitals and three helicopter companies found involved in such practices,” the ministry said in a statement issued on Monday.
According to the ministry, the committee had investigated rescue and treatment activities of 10 helicopter companies, six hospitals and 36 travel, trekking and rescue companies.
It found few companies made multiple claims for a single chopper ride and charged high fare for chartered flights even though they were regular flights of the helicopters.
The committee suggested the government to prepare a working procedure on mountaineering and trekking rescue and implement it in the upcoming tourism season that starts from September till November.
Krishna Prasad Devkota, a ministry official, told Xinhua that fake rescue and treatment missions in the country will discourage many tourists to visit Nepal.
“The government will take stern actions against those indicted by the report and implement the recommendations of the committee for reforms in the sector,” he said.
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | World
Kathmandu : Nepal is willing to enhance cross-border railroad connectivity, infrastructure development, trade, investment and tourism cooperation with China under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli, said here ahead of his visit to Beijing.
Oli, who will embark on a five-day visit to China on Tuesday, told Xinhua during an interview that the Himalayan nation is fully committed to implementing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative signed with China two years ago.
His government has formed a mechanism to implement projects under the Belt and Road Initiative and various ministries are working for the same target, the prime minister said.
Our two countries have common views on the concept of Trans-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Transport Network. Based on this broad framework, we want to seek cooperation with China on cross-border connectivity of railway, road, transmission lines and other related areas for mutual benefit,” Oli said.
Nepal has viewed the Belt and Road Initiative as an important development initiative, he said.
The Prime Minister said Nepal has recently proposed some projects in the areas of roads, railway, energy, transmission line for cooperation with China.
While talking about Nepal’s ties with China, Oli said it attaches great value to its relationship.
“China is our immediate neighbour. Our two countries share a long history of friendly relations which are multifaceted and deep rooted.
“Our relations are based on the solid foundation of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence,” he said.
During his visit, Oli will meet Chinese President Xi and Premier Li Keqiang and other senior Chinese leaders in Beijing. He will lead a 100-plus delegation.
This is his first visit to China after coming to power in February.
—IANS
