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Kathmandu Wednesday May 16, 2001 Jestha 03, 2058.
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Fncci
delegation meets Chinese Primier Zhu Rongji
Post Report
KATHMANDU, May 15 – A delegation of
Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) led by its president
Pradeep Kumar Shrestha met with visiting Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Rongji amid a function
today and exchanged views on promoting mutual trade relations, said an FNCCI press release
issued here today.
Addressing the function, the release quoted
Chinese Premier as expressing his happiness to meet business leaders from the private
sector and stressed that the role of private sector would be vital in transforming the
century old cordial relation between the two countries into mutual economic development.
Referring to the various agreements signed
between the two countries on Monday, he said that private sector will be benefited after
the implementation of the met agreement and expressed his delight over getting opportunity
to extending economic and technical cooperation in the overall development activities of
Nepal, including infrastructure development, the release said.
In order to squeeze Nepal’s trade deficit
with China, Premier Rongji suggested that the Nepalese businessmen should produce and
export goods that match with preferences and demands of the Chinese people. He also
expressed the hope that the recently signed agreement regarding avoidance of double
taxation on trade and controlling financial leakage would be helpful to boost Chinese
investment in Nepal.
He also informed the gathering that Nepal Rastra
Bank, the central banks of Nepal, and China will jointly look into the possibilities
towards establishing a bank with Chinese participation and simplify exchange procedures
between Chinese and Nepalese currencies. He assured the gathering that Chinese government
would continue its support in the economic development activities initiated in joint
participation of the private sector.
Speaking on the occasion, the release quoted
FNCCI Chief and Vice President of Nepal China Non-Governmental Cooperation Forum Pradeep
Kumar Shrestha as saying that the mutual relation between the two countries took a new
twist after the establishment of diplomatic relation in 1965. Shrestha also appreciated
the active role China has been playing in the developmental efforts of Nepal.
Highlighting various activities of Nepal-China
Non-Governmental Cooperation Forum established in 1996 with an aim to strength private
sectors’ mutual cooperation of the two countries, he said that the fifth meeting of
the Forum, which would be organized at the end of the year in Pokhara, would be helpful in
finding areas of extending mutual cooperation, the release said.
Referring to the soaring trade deficit of Nepal
with China, President Shrestha urged the Chinese government to grant especial privilege
for Nepalese products in entering into the Chinese market. He also said that both the
governments should take steps to introduce modern transaction mechanism to boost mutual
trade. He also stressed the need to arrange the payments of the trade between Nepal and
Tibet. He urged the Chinese government to reduce recently increased customs on the import
of Nepalese goods into Tibet and to open some more border trade points to expand mutual
trade, according to the release.
The release also quoted Shrestha as saying that
Nepalese businessmen have been encouraged by the signing of the agreement regarding the
construction of Syabrubesi-Kerung road link and requested the Chinese government to make
necessary arrangement to import construction materials from Nepal to use in the various
development constructions being conducted in east and south China.
Shading light on the various possible joint
venture projects between the two countries, Shrestha urged the Chinese side to establish a
fund to extend loans to Nepal with less interest. He also underlined the importance of the
Chinese cooperation in the area of information technology, according to the release.
On the occasion, high officials of the FNCCI and
the Chinese delegation were also present, the release concludes.
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