Nepal and China agree to fully open Rasuwagadhi-Kerung border point

March 30, Kathmandu: The first meeting of the Nepal-China Coordination Mechanism on Border Trade and Cooperation took place on Wednesday morning in Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region.

The meeting was led by Madhu Kumar Marasini, Secretary of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies of Nepal, and Chen Yongqi, Executive Vice-Chairman of the People’s Government of the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, and resulted in several decisions.

One of the main outcomes was the agreement to fully operate the Rasuwagadhi-Kerung border point from April 1, 2023, allowing for both entry and exit. Additionally, two-way trade via Tatopani-Zhangmu and human movement and passenger clearance from Yari/Pulang will resume from May 1, 2023. Nepal also requested the establishment of a multi-functional lab on the Nepal-China border, which China agreed to consider.

Moreover, China welcomed Nepal’s proposal for the construction of a trans-border special economic zone and pledged to provide technical and financial support for infrastructure development on the Nepalese side of the Nechung-Lizi border port. China also assured Nepal of opening seasonal border trade points.

Overall, the meeting was productive and resulted in several positive outcomes for Nepal-China relations.