The 'One Belt One Road' project initiated by the Government of China would benefit the nations which are part of it, said people having knowledge about this.
Speaking at a workshop organized by the Nepal-China Friendship Forum here Monday, the participants said the OBOR, the development strategy proposed by China would benefit the project signatories in terms of the development of physical infrastructure.
China's Ambassador to Nepal, Yu Hong, expressed her hope that a feasibility study regarding the Nepal-China free trade agreement would complete by this year. The economic and trade relations between the two neighbors had further expanded and there was also the promotion of cultural exchanges at the bilateral level as well.
This year, tourist arrivals in Nepal from China increased compared to the last year, the Chinese Ambassador said, adding that Nepal's socio-economic development was always the priority of China.
Former Minister for Foreign Affairs Mahendra Bahadur Pandey said transition in Nepal would be coming to and very soon as the elections to the House of Representatives and State Assemblies were around the corner.
In the augural session, Finance Secretary Shanker Prasad Adhikari insisted on the need to push for infrastructure development in the nations covered by the project by further consolidating friendly relations and mutual assistance among them. He was of the opinion that the OBOR would help Nepal to achieve infrastructure development, realize trans-Himalaya rail and road project, promote trade activities and investment and trade and diversify trade.
Forum president Kalyanraj Adhikari presided over the programme.
Finance secretaries from all nations in the SAARC except Maldives and Sri Lanka were present at the workshop.
The OBOR aims at enhancing connectivity and cooperation among countries, primarily between China and Eurasia through the land as well as maritime routes is an ambitious development initiative proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping.
