Beijing: China and Nepal on Saturday opened their traditional border trade post, a step forward in the development of bilateral economic and trade relations.
The opening ceremony was held in Xigaze, Xizang Autonomous Region, southwest China, in Zhentang Township, on the China-Nepal border.
According to Xinhua, 110 Chinese traders and 47 Nepalese traders are involved in transactions involving more than 50 commodities, including daily necessities, construction materials, food and beverages, agricultural products and Nepalese handicrafts, at the Zentang trading post.
Trading activities also started in other traditional areas such as Zhongba, Saga, Gyirong and Nyalam.
Xigaze, China’s opening to South Asia, is an important city bordering India, Nepal and Bhutan and hosting five commercial land ports.
Feng Xiucheng, director of the municipal trade bureau, said traditional border trade has long supported the livelihoods of border residents and played an important role in the development and prosperity of border areas.
“We plan to continue to improve border trade infrastructure and develop economic and trade exchanges between China and Nepal,” Feng said.
Xizang did business with 175 countries and regions last year. Imports and exports from Nepal, its largest trading partner, totaled 2.77 billion yuan (about 389.5 million US dollars), up 77.2 percent last year.
