Nepal and China to hold joint border inspection (audio report)

July 20, Kathmandu: The officials of Nepal and China have agreed to hold a joint border inspection.

In a virtual meeting regarding border monitoring held on July 14, the officials of the two countries agreed to monitor the border under the leadership of the head of the North East Asia Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal and the Head of the Department of Border and Maritime Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China.

During a press meeting on Wednesday, the Spokesperson of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sewa Lamsal, informed that the Nepali and Chinese officials agreed to proceed with border inspection through mutual consultation as such inspections had not taken place for a long time.  Lamsal shared that a report will be jointly prepared after the inspection.

Lamsal informed that the modality of the inspection was yet to be prepared.

An agreement between Nepal and China in 1963 mandates borders to be monitored every 10 years. But the agreement has so far failed to materialize.

Spokesperson Lamsal also shared that there had been an agreement on the two-way opening of the Kerung-Rasuwagadhi transit point and the one-way opening of the Hilsa border point by adopting the necessary health standards related to COVID-19.

Likewise, the 10th meeting of the Trade Facilitation Committee established between Nepal and China was held on July 18.

During the meeting construction of physical infrastructure at the border crossing, facilitation of bilateral trade, foreign investment, development of trade infrastructure, transportation facilities, as well as simplification of customs procedures, and the timely completion of the Timure Dry Port, which is being constructed with the Chinese assistance, were discussed.