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习主席的到访揭开了中尼关系的新篇章——专访前驻尼泊尔李大使
来源:APD News | 作者:Xu Ye, Hu Yahui | 发布时间: 2019-10-12 | 2316 次浏览 | 分享到:
President Xi's visit to open a new chapter for China-Nepal relations: former Chinese ambassador to Nepal


President Xi's visit to open a new chapter for China-Nepal relations:
former Chinese ambassador to Nepal

2019-10-12 16:39 BY APD NEWS
By APD writer Xu Ye, Hu Yahui


Since the establishment of diplomatic relations on August 1, 1955, the friendship between China and Nepal has deepened year after year, and the high-level exchanges between the two countries have also been very close these years. In October, Chinese president will visit Nepal, which is of great significance to both countries.  

To celebrate this important event, Asia Pacific Daily specially invited Li Debiao, a former Chinese ambassador to Nepal, to review the history and look forward to the future of the valuable friendship between China and Nepal.

From April 1987 to August 1991, Li served as China's ambassador to Nepal and did a lot of work to strengthen the friendly cooperation between the two countries. He said that he has been engaged in diplomatic work all his life and worked abroad for 26 years, and among all the countries he has been, Nepal is his favorite and the most affectionate one.


"I am a diplomat and have been to dozens of countries. During my 26 years of diplomatic career abroad, I have to say that Nepal is my favorite," Li said.

After retiring, Li continued to engage in non-governmental trade and cultural exchanges between China and Nepal. Over the past 20 years, he has been to Nepal for more than 40 times.

"Though I have retired, my mission will never come to an end because the friendship between China and Nepal will be everlasting. In order to promote friendship and the bilateral economic and cultural ties, I am willing to continue to devote myself wholeheartedly. In the last two decades, I visited Nepal almost every year. Perhaps I am the one who visits Nepal most often among the Chinese. I am very proud of this," Li said.

Over the years, Li has devoted himself to promoting the friendship between China and Nepal, and he is also a witness to the friendship. Li said, during his tenure, he has witnessed the sincere friendship between the two countries.

China and Nepal opens Nepal-Tibet Airline

Nepal is adjacent to China’s Tibet, and Nepal has had close trade, religious and cultural ties with Tibet since ancient times. But in the past, the steep Himalayas mountains caused inconvenience of transportation between Nepal and Tibet, which seriously hindered the exchanges between the two sides.

China-aided Kathmandu-Cordari Highway (known as the Araniko Highway in Nepal) completed its construction in 1967, which greatly facilitated the transportation and personnel exchanges between Nepal and Tibet. However, the Lhasa-Kathmandu Highway is located on high plateaus and mountains, and the 870-kilometer journey took travelers at least three days. Besides, in the rainy season, landslides often occurred on the roads and blocked the traffic.

With the increasing closer trade relations and cultural exchanges, opening air routes was put on the agenda. Both governments believed opening a route from Kathmandu to Lhasa is necessary. When it comes to navigation between the two countries, both sides showed their strong support.

In 1990, Li suggested the Chinese government to send a delegation to Nepal to discuss this issue. The Chinese government did so later to discuss air services with Nepal's Civil Aviation Authority. With the support of Nepal's civil aviation director, the agreement was finalized on the same day.

The opening of the Lhasa-Kathmandu air route makes travel between the two countries much easier, and enhance trade and cultural exchanges between Nepal and Tibet.


A friend in need is a friend indeed

Shortly after Li became the Chinese ambassador to Nepal in 1987, India imposed a 14-month economic sanction on Nepal, banning petroleum products such as gasoline and kerosene from entering Nepal.

India's economic blockade on Nepal has caused big difficulties to Nepalese people’s life. Many cars couldn’t be used due to energy shortage. Many rural and mountainous people, who had no access to electricity, had to rely on kerosene at night. The shortage of liquefied gas also made cooking difficult and people often complaint of it.

Nepal borders China’s Tibet, but Tibet does not produce oil. Petrol in Tibet was transported from Xinjiang and other areas and the cost of transportation was very high. It is 800 to 900 kilometers away from Lhasa to Kathmandu. Therefore, oil products had never been exported from Tibet to Nepal before.

However, seeing that Nepal faced great difficulties and the Nepalese people were suffering, Li, as a true friend of Nepal, wants to do something for them.

Li returned to China and reported Nepal's severe situation to the Chinese government. After hearing Li’s report, the State Council decided to save 20,000 tons of gasoline from the limited combat readiness inventory of the Tibet Military Region and transport it to Nepal.

Even though the 20,000 tons of gasoline could partially meet Nepal's needs, the Nepalese government and people understood that it is a timely help and not easy. The Nepalese people highly praised China's assistance, saying that "a friend in need is a friend indeed" and “China is Nepal's true friend”.

China-Nepal friendship will open a new chapter

Speaking of the upcoming visit of Chinese president Xi to Nepal, Li said: "We’re inspired by Xi’s upcoming visit as China celebrates its 70th founding anniversary. Xi's visit to Nepal will be surely open a new chapter of China-Nepal relations. It marks a milestone in the history of bilateral relations and is of great significance to the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative."

At present, the Belt and Road Initiative has aroused positive responses from more and more countries, and Nepal is an important country along the Asian Silk Road Economic Belt. Therefore, it is foreseeable that with the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative, the hard-working and wise Nepalese people will build their country into a prosperous one, he said.

In the end, Li said that in the ever-changing world, China and Nepal have always stood the test of time by sharing weal and woe, mutual trust and mutual help. The friendship between China and Nepal has been deeply rooted in the hearts of the two peoples and become a precious spiritual wealth passed down from generation to generation.