Chinese New Year Gifts to Nepal

The year 2023 begins with new vigor and enthusiasm in Nepal. Historic inauguration of the grandiose Pokhara International Airport at the lap of the mesmerizing Machhapuchhree mountain trumpeted not only the starting of the New year but the new era in Nepal’s tourism and international aviation sector. Tens of thousands people representing various ethnic groups residing in Pokhara attended the historic ceremony on their glaring cultural attires.

Prime-minister of Nepal Pushpakamal Dahal formally inaugurated the land-marking Pokhara International Airport- a dream project of Nepali people since five decades. The story of the airport started in 1971. Then the area for the Pokhara International Airport was ascertained. But the blueprint of the dream project remained in armoire until 2008 when the Chinese CAMC company started studying the project. After 8 years in 2016, ground-breaking ceremony held and then tempo of the airport construction speeded. Amidst layers of challenges majorly Covid pandemic, economic and political instability of Nepal, Chinese company succeeded the project, 6 years after the ground breaking.

Construction of the Pokhara International Airport raised the bilateral relation between Nepal and China to the new height. China, as a close neighbor and intimate friend of Nepal has been supporting the Himalayan nation in building of sundry physical infrastructures that have contributed overall economic development of Nepal.

According to the CMAC official, the new airport is designed and built in accordance with the standards of China and the International Civil Aviation Organization. It signals Chinese expertise in construction sector.

Pokhara is a tourist destination and a gateway to the Annapurna range. According to the data provided by the Department of Immigration Nepal, in 2019 that’s before pandemic started, 1 million 197 thousands and 1 hundred and 91 tourists visited Nepal. According to the research by Nirajan Bam from University of Northern Colorado, 35 percentage of total tourists who come Nepal visit Pokhara. Nepali Times, a Kathmandu based English weekly says Pokhara welcomes 1 million tourists annually.

Pokhara is also an attractive hub for Chinese tourists visiting Nepal. Many Chinese interested on mountaineering and trekking choose Pokhara as their destination. Additionally numbers of Chinese restaurants are opened there. Before Pandemic in 2018 the number of Chinese tourists in Pokhara exceeded Indian tourists. Chinese tourists in Pokhara are in increasing trend since 2009 except some years during Pandemic.

Starting of international standard airport coincided with the announcement of Chinese authority to ease the anti-covid measures lifting restriction on ordinary Chinese people to visit abroad as a tourist. Some Chinese airlines companies have shown interest to run service in Pokhara International Airport. If they succeed to do so then number of Chinese visitors will flood in eloquent natural city.

Construction of Pokhara International Airport will certainly push the implementation of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) project, a signature global mega project of China in the Himalayan nation. Nepal signed on the project in 2017. Even though implementation of BRI project in Nepal is moving on snail-pace, the starting of the third international airport in Pokhara will certainly accelerate the BRI project.

Pokhara is also an attractive hub for Chinese tourists visiting Nepal. Many Chinese interested on mountaineering and trekking choose Pokhara as their destination. Additionally numbers of Chinese restaurants are opened there. Before Pandemic in 2018 the number of Chinese tourists in Pokhara exceeded Indian tourists. Chinese tourists in Pokhara are in increasing trend since 2009 except some years during Pandemic.

Youth unemployment has been a major hurdle of economic prosperity in Nepal. Millions of Nepali youths are working hard in the Gulf countries for upbringing of their kids and family. Had there economic opportunities in Nepal, they would not have to spare sweat in the scorching heat of foreign land. Economic activities and opportunities generated after the beginning of the International Airport in Pokhara will certainly help youths to return back home. Proper management of international aviation will attract million more tourists in Nepal from whole world which will lead the country to the economic thriving.

Together with the inauguration of the International Airport, two worthy news came from Chinese side as breeze of hope in Nepal. First news is the arrival of Chinese technical team in Kathmandu for the study of Cross -Border Railway between Nepal and China. Joining Nepal and China traversing the high Himalayas had been the prospect since the Mao era. The Cross Border Railway not only turns Nepal, conventionally know as a landlocked country into a Land-linked country. It will simultaneously enhance the interconnectivity between Asian nations that will consequently result the economic prosperity, cultural solidarity and friendship among the Asian family.

Of course the headway is not so easy to cross. Thousands of high hills are on the way before the success. But as there is a Chinese adage, ‘Thousand miles long journey starts from a step.’ Hence the initiative Chinese side step on is crucial for the final success. Construction of Cross Border Railway will definitely contribute for the closer ties between two neighboring countries. It will help in fight against poverty in the northern frontier line of Nepal which has been lagging behind majorly because of lack of transportation infrastructures. It could re-start the era of Nepal being a connection point between India and China for trade and people to people relations, as used to be in history before the Younghusband expedition to Tibet.

The second news is the resumption of two-way trade via Kerong-Rasuwagadhi border port. It has been close or partial opened since the Pandemic. China being a major supplier of the daily utility commodities for Nepal such as garments, shoes, utensils, machineries etc. closure of the northern port has surged the market price resulting the hardship in Nepali life. Now as the port is opened, people took it as a good news easing their day to day life. Export-Import businessmen came on the sunlight after long inactive hibernation as the port is opened now.

Trio –news from China has reactivated the bilateral relation between Nepal and China after Pandemic. It can be considered as a beginning of implementing the undone projects detained due to worldwide crisis. But it’s better late than not done. Hence the stimulus generated from China’s active assistance will add more bricks on the friendly relationship between Nepal and China.

Niraj Lawoju is a Kathmandu based Journalist.

nlawoju@gmail.com