People-to-people dialogue to boost China-Nepal cooperation

Officials and scholars from Nepal and China gathered on Tuesday to discuss ways to bring trans-Himalayan cooperation to a new height.

"In view of the geographical proximity that China and Nepal share and the excellent relations that we enjoy, there is tremendous potential to consolidate trans-Himalayan cooperation in many areas of mutual benefit," Nepalese Vice President Parmanand Jha at the People-to-People Dialogue.

He made proposals to strengthen bilateral ties, develop new types of relationships with neighboring countries, and focus on exploring areas of interest, ranging from energy security to road connectivity.

Chinese Ambassador Wu Chuntai said the dialogue responded to the call for more communication and cooperation between the two countries, and it also provided a new stage for the trans- Himalayan region to develop closer friendships.

"New forms of dialogue have the potential to enrich the people- to-people exchange between China and Nepal," he said.

A delegation from the China NGO Network for International Exchanges (CNIE) is in Nepal to push for bilateral cooperation.

Founded in 2005, the CNIE endeavors to organize a wide range of high-profile events on economic and social development, and contribute to the networking and capacity-building of Chinese NGOs in the Asia and Pacific region.