Nepal ships 1st batch of exports under transit deals with China

KATHMANDU, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- Nepal started the first batch of exports on Thursday under transit deals with China, five months after the South Asian country shipped its first batch of imported goods via the northern neighbor.

Instant noodles were set to be shipped to Japan via the Tianjin port in northern China.

"The continuity of exports through China to third countries opens new horizons for cooperation, fostering innovation and economic resilience," said Narayan Prasad Sharma Duwadee, secretary of Nepal's Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies.

"This event marks the beginning of a new chapter in our economic partnership," he said at a commencement ceremony. "It is not just about the export of goods, it is about forging a path toward sustainable development, mutual prosperity and enduring cooperation."

Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Chen Song voiced hope that the deals will help diversify Nepal's international trade and facilitate its trade with the whole world.

The Chinese side is "taking measures from all aspects to actively promote bilateral trade," he said, noting that the time and cost of importing and exporting goods via China will be further reduced after more border points are opened and the roads and other infrastructure are improved.

Nepal imported the first batch of 15 tons of turmeric powder from Vietnam in early September 2023, also via Tianjin, under the transit transport agreement signed in March 2016 and the subsequent protocol inked in April 2019 between Nepal and China.

Under the transit deals, China allows the landlocked country to use Tianjin, Shenzhen, Lianyungang and Zhanjiang as well as Lanzhou, Lhasa and Shigatse to handle traffic in transit.