 |
| |
VOL. 28, NO. 16, Dec 26, 2008 (Poush 11 2065 B.S.)
|
|
“Stable and Sovereign Nepal is quite crucial to southern China's security and stability”
QIU GUOHONG
Newly appointed Chinese ambassador to Nepal QIU GUOHONG has already addressed a number of programs about Nepal-China relations. In a recent program organized by China Study Center to welcome him on Thursday (December 19), Chinese ambassador Qiu Guohong spoke to various issues regarding Nepal China relations. Excerpts of his statement compiled by KESHAB POUDEL:
Upon Arrival
I arrived just a month ago in Nepal but I have a feeling that I have already spent my life in Nepal because I am very busy every day. I feel I have a full schedule in Nepal and I will have very happy life here.
Curious About Appointment
Actually, my foreign language is Japanese and I was long engaged in North East Asian Affairs. So many Nepalese friends are quite curious about why I was sent by my government to Nepal. That is genuine query. Even I am surprised by that. My appointment to Nepal is totally a result of an accident. The reason to send me as a Chinese ambassador to Nepal is all because of Chinese consular general in Osaka had accident in China and some situation required me to come here. As a predecessor of that consulate general who had an accident, my boss asked me whether I was again willing to serve in Osaka. I told my boss that I had already worked there and it is better to go somewhere else.
Appointment As Opportunity
My boss asked my immediate predecessors and former ambassador to Nepal Xianglin whether he would like to go Osaka. Ambassador Xianglin had been away from Japan for ten years, thus he responded positively and expressed his willingness to go there. Because he accepted the assignment in Osaka, I have an opportunity to be working in Nepal. I will tell you all in frank way that ambassador Xianglin regretted about his decision to leave Nepal later. He believed that his stay in Nepal was very comfortable. I should tell you all that after I came to Nepal I feel quite comfortable and it is worthwhile decision of my boss to send me here.
Nepal as Important Factor
First, Nepal is very important to China. Friendly, stable, independent, sovereign and developed Nepal is quite crucial to southern China's security and stability. We are very concerned about Nepal's situation. Right now China-Nepal relation is in good shape but some elements don't want to see this kind of cordial relations existing between us. When I was in Japan for quite a long time, I used to quarrel with some diplomats about Nepal. Now I am in Nepal and I do quarrel and even fight against those elements who don't want to see good shape of China-Nepal relations. I feel I have a lot of work to do in Nepal. Second, Nepalese people are very friendly to Chinese people and Nepalese government attaches great importance to develop relationship with China. All these provided very cordial and genuine working environment for me.
On Role of Nepalese
With the support and the help of Nepalese friends, I am quite confident that I will be able to further strengthen our good relations. Before I came here some friends told me that you might not have comfortable life in Nepal because Nepal is one of the least developed countries in the world. After my arrival to Nepal, I found the reality is not like what my friends said. It is not only the weather which is quite fine and suitable for people but the people are so friendly and kind hearted.
Kathmandu With Vigour
I also feel that the whole Kathmandu city is full of vigour and life. Day by day my love towards Nepal is getting much deeper. Despite the fact that this is my first time in Nepal and I have to learn from the very beginning, there are affections everywhere. I need support and help from Nepalese friends. I have already met numbers of Nepalese friends in the last one month and I will meet more Nepalese friends in future. I will work together with Nepalese friends to try to strengthen friendship between our two countries with a new height. I have made my mind open to the public on many occasions that I will focus my attention on such aspects during my tenure.
On Exchange of Visits
I will try to enhance the exchange of visit that includes the political exchange of high level visits between two countries and consolidate the China-Nepal friendship. For this I will stress high government level exchange of visits as well as exchange of visit of political parties between the two countries.
On Prachanda's Visit
When I was in China, I persuaded our government to arrange Nepalese prime minister Prachanda's visit at early next year as soon as possible. It is very difficult to arrange this visit. Because China has a very good and cordial relation with all countries in the world and that we have very limited quotas for receiving foreign dignitaries. The Chinese foreign ministry has only allocated two plus one seats for Asian leaders which mean we can receive just three leaders from Asia. The Asian Department of foreign ministry is in-charge of 22 countries in Asia. If we want to invite all the leaders from Asian countries to visit China, it will take more than ten years. When I was in China, I tried my best to seek this one seat for Nepalese prime minister Prachanda.
Visit Was for Olympic
My colleagues argued that Nepalese prime minister Prachanda already attended closing ceremony of Beijing Olympic; therefore it is impossible to arrange his visit so soon next year. But I said to my colleagues that Nepalese prime minister Prachanda had not visited China last time as the guest of Chinese government. Then, he was the guest invited by Nepalese Olympic Committee. In the end I succeeded in persuading my colleagues to invite Nepalese prime minister in China.
On All Sphere of Relations
I make position of Chinese government and ruling party very clear that China is willing to develop relationship with political parties, groups and other forces. Second, I will try to further strengthen the economic cooperation and trade between China and Nepal and bring it to
new height.
On Trade Volume
China and Nepal have very cordial and friendly relations in terms of politics but the trade volume between the two countries is very low or just around US$400 million. I don't think this trade relation is consistent with such warm and friendly relations existing between the two countries. I would like to set the target neither too high nor too low but it needs to increase ten times of the current trade volumes. Definitely our two sectors need to join hands to further expand the trade. For example, the efficiency of the two governments related with the trade should greatly improve. Two governments should work out some favorable policies for promoting the trade. It is also very important to increase the trade channels and links between the two countries.
On Economic Assistance
As a neighbor of Nepal, China will continue working hard to provide our assistance for the economic development in Nepal to the best of our capacity. Now the Chinese government is giving grant assistance of 100 million RNB to Nepal. Though this figure is not huge but I have to point out that this amount of money ranks number two in China's grant assistance to developing countries only after the North Korea. I am not satisfied with this figure. I have made a lot of homework when I was in China. I believe China's grant assistance to Nepal will be increased. China's economy has also been affected by international financial crisis and China's fiscal income has registered minus increase since October. But I am also quite confident that no matter what kind of difficulty China is facing, our assistance to Nepal will never decline rather it will moderately increase. By the way, I would like to add that to help Nepal is to help China itself. If Nepal could achieve high economic growth, China's Tibet also will see high economic growth. I never believe that China's grant assistance is just one way. I rather believe that it is two way assistance.
People To People Contact
I will work hard to promote people to people exchange. I think the relations between the people of two countries are most important foundation for two countries friendship. Although two countries relations remain cordial, the exchange of visit at the people to people level is not at large scale. There is one very popular saying in China that seeing is believing. I still believe that the people could have a better understanding and better feeling if we could have a direct contact and have opportunity to see each other. So the government can play vital role in enhancing the friendly exchanges between the people living in two countries.
Role of Friendly Associations
Friendly associations can play very vital role in promoting this relation. In future, I will work to create proper environment to exchange people's contact by using different channels and different methods. For example, between China and India and China and Pakistan, there are government level youth exchange mechanism. Every year one hundred youths visit each other's country. However, there is no such mechanism between China and Nepal. As an ambassador, I will work to establish such youth exchange mechanism between the two countries. We should also use different ways and channels to increase relations between political parties, friendly associations and business circles.
On Tourism
Every year 30,000 Chinese tourists are visiting Nepal. My target will be to add another zero taking it up to 300,000 within a few years. I don't think it is a large number in the context when more than 3 million tourists are coming to Lhasa. This year the number will exceed five million. There is a phenomenon that many European tourists visit Lhasa after staying in Nepal. It is very unfortunate to say that those tourists who come to Lhasa seldom come to Nepal. If we could make package trip, it is quite likely that the number will go up as I said. I will try to figure out ways to further increase tourism between the two countries. Actually, I have a lot of things in my mind but I cannot deliver all of them. Some may think I cannot accomplish such a heavy task. If I will achieve some of the target in those areas, I will be quite satisfied. With the support and help from Nepalese friends, I am confident that all these things could be materialized and accomplished either during my tenure or my successor's tenure.
