AUG 12 -
It’s a great pleasure for me to make the journey over the Himalayas to visit China’s beautiful neighbour Nepal, which is well known for its long history and rich cultural heritage.
Many years ago when I travelled to the Tibet Autonomous Region on the Chinese side of the Himalayas,
I went to see the Statue of a Nepali Princess at the Potala Palace. The local people told me about the story of Princess Bhrikuti and how she won the respect of the Chinese people. Like me, many people in China and Nepal also know the stories of Fahien and Xuan Zang many centuries ago, who travelled thousands of miles under extremely harsh conditions to make their respective pilgrimage to Lumbini. Moreover, the White Pagoda built under the supervision of Nepali craftsman Anigo (Arniko in Nepal) more than 700 years ago can still be seen in downtown Beijing today. There can be no better monument for the time-honoured history of friendly association between China and Nepal.
This historical friendship is well followed-up by good neighbourly relations between the two countries in contemporary times. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations 57 years ago, China and Nepal have been good neighbours and good friends who treat each other as equals and always respected and supported each other.
China-Nepal relations are free from any outstanding issues. Our 1,400 km long border has been a bond of friendship that connects rather than divides us. China adheres to the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. We support Nepal’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Nepal, on its part, supports China on matters related to Tibet and Taiwan and does not allow any forces to use Nepali territory for anti-China activities. Such a principled position of Nepal has won it the respect and appreciation of the Chinese people. In 2009, the China-Nepal friendship relations of Comprehensive Partnership of Cooperation Featuring Ever-lasting friendship was set up, marking a new era in the development of China-Nepal relations.
China and Nepal are close partners for development. Chinese assistance since the 1950s has contributed to the construction of more than 20 projects which played an important role in the economic development of Nepal. The two countries are now connected by two cross-Himalaya highways and four direct flights. Each year more than 130,000 people travel between the two countries. Bilateral trade has reached US$1.2 billion. More than 20 Chinese companies have now set up operations in Nepal, and 3,000 Nepali students currently study in China.
Our two countries are also engaged in similar pursuits at home. In the past three decades and more, China has made enormous achievements in economic and social development thanks to reform and opening-up. We will continue to unswervingly follow the path of peaceful development in line with our national conditions, working towards the goals of modernisation and common prosperity of our people. Nepal too is in the middle of a critical historical transition. Its peace process has made important headway. It is well on its way to building a new Nepal.
This year is “China-Nepal Year of Friendly Exchanges”. A delegation of 100 Nepali youth has made a successful visit to China. The implementation of other associated activities is now in full swing. The two sides should build on this positive progress to strengthen cooperation and build up unity, stability and development.
China follows the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries. We respect the Nepali people’s choice of social system and development path. We support an early completion of the peace and constitution-drafting process in Nepal. We hope these efforts will lead to a stable political system in Nepal, and open the door to comprehensive development.
China will continue to do all it can to help Nepal’s economic and social development. It will take an active part in infrastructure development in Nepal, such as transport and hydro-power projects, to strengthen China-Nepal connectivity and practical cooperation for mutual benefit.
China is also committed to closer cooperation with Nepal in the areas of culture, education, tourism, and to more youth, media, and academic exchanges between the two countries. This will strengthen the tree of China-Nepal friendship from the roots.
During Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao’s visit to Nepal last January, leaders of the two countries reached important consensus on China-Nepal relations. Prime Minister Bhattarai commented that the two countries share the world’s highest peak, so their bilateral relations are unparalleled in height. Premier Wen responded by saying that the height of China-Nepal relations is only matched by its depth. Such a meaningful exchange spells out a vision for our cross-Himalaya friendship. This is a vision we should all be working for.
Mme Fu Ying, Vice Foreign Minister of China, is on a three-day visit to Nepal starting on August 11
Source: http://www.ekantipur.com/2012/08/12/oped/a-friendship-unparalleled-in-height/358628/
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