Nepal's Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal on Saturday underscored the need to take Nepal-China relations beyond the confines of traditional border management to a new level of ecological collaboration, climate security and strategic partnership based on technology, trade and infrastructure development.
Delivering a keynote speech at a programme on the theme "Nepal-China relations- expanded dimension of collaborations," under the third 'Kasthamandap Dialogue', Khanal said the recent flood in the Bhotekoshi river had proved that the Nepal-China border was not just a political boundary but a region that combines the ecological destiny of the two countries.
Flash floods, triggered by an ice-rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26, devastated towns and villages in northern and central Nepal, killing around 1,400 people, while more than 5,000 remain missing. The Bhotekoshi River, which flows south from the Himalayan border region, carried the floodwaters downstream, sweeping away homes, vehicles, roads and bridges and damaging hydropower projects.
Terming the August 26 flood as the Himalayan tsunamia, Khanal on Saturday expressed gratitude to the Chinese government for providing emergency assistance, technical cooperation and hydrology-related information at the critical moment of the rescue operation, on behalf of the Nepal government.
Geography doesn't only delineate the political boundary between Nepal and China, but also brings together our common destiny, he said. The Himalayas should not be treated as an obstacle or line of division as in the past, but should be considered as a common ecological treasure and area for conservation.
He said ecological upliftment and climate security should be the basis for Nepal-China collaboration at a time when there is increasing risk of climate change and environment-related disasters.
He proposed the exchange of real-time satellite data and development of weather forecasting and early-warning systems to minimise the impact of trans-border disasters from incidents such as glacial lake outburst floods, unpredictable weather and landslides.
Reiterating Nepala's strong commitment to the one-China policy, Khanal assured that Nepal will not allow its land to be used against neighbouring countries.
Appreciating the Chinese government for respecting Nepala's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, he said the Nepal-China strategic partnership initiated in 2019 reflected the depth of mutual respect and collaboration between the two countries.
Mentioning that Nepala's foreign policy is guided by the middle path doctrine, Khanal reiterated that Nepal wants to develop itself as an active, self-confident and independent bridge between two big economic powers - China and India.
Nepal government has prioritised good governance, policy-level reforms, social justice and overall prosperity of the country, he said.
Pursuing economic diplomacy, Nepal has taken forward the concept of thick connectivity and thin borders, he noted. To put the trans-Himalayan connectivity network into practice, there is a need for infrastructural reforms and disaster upliftment, Khanal said.
There is a need for modernisation of customs infrastructure at the northern border points, development of a high Himalayan port in the border area as a year-round business centre, and construction of roads, bridges and other infrastructure in the border areas in a way that can withstand floods, landslides and other environmental disasters, Khanal said.