Deputy Prime
Minister and Finance Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara said Thursday that Nepal
needed heavy investment in tourism infrastructure, and it was a great
opportunity for the foreign investors.
In his
inaugural address at the 14th meeting of Nepal-China
non-governmental cooperation Forum in the capital, he urged Chinese investors
to invest in the tourism business and infrastructure here.
“There is
ample scope for joint ventures between Nepal and China in the tourism sector. I
would like to take this opportunity to welcome Chinese investors to invest in
this highly potential sector in Nepal ,”
he said.
He stated
that as Nepal needed heavy
investment in tourism infrastructure, there was ample scope for joint ventures
between Nepal and China
in this sector.
DPM Mahara said
he expected cooperation and transfer of technology and investment in new
energy.
“It is very
crucial for Nepal’s development, not only because Nepal has tremendous
potential of hydropower resources, but also because of the fact that Nepal, due
to its geographical location and geological factors, has to seek sustainable
energy for its socio-economic growth,” he said.
According to
Mahara, another important area for cooperation between the two neighbours was
light engineering product manufacturing, hardware and building materials.
He said that
Nepal could restart the industrialisation process with light manufacturing
products, such as auxiliary industries, small utensils, equipment, machines,
electrical and electronic products that are useful in other sectors, such as
agriculture, food processing packaging, livestock, tea-coffee and handicraft.
DPM Mahara
said that the government would support the investors in every possible way in
order to realise their business projects in Nepal.
Recalled the
OBOR International Summit held in China recently, he said that he was highly
impressed by the summit outcome.
“We see this
as an opening of new possibilities and opportunities, which enables us to have
economic and socially beneficial ventures,” he said.
Vice-chairman
of All China Federation of Industry and Commerce (ACFIC) Xie Jingrong said that
Nepal
was an important partner in the development and implementation of the OBOR (One
Belt One Road).
He said that the
Forum has helped in realising joint business and investment initiatives in both
the countries.
President of
the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) Bhawani
Rana invited the Chinese investors to invest in public-private-partnership
(PPP) projects.
“The
government has recently come up with the PPP policy, and we are expecting the
PPP Act to be finalised very soon. This will open a whole vista of new
possibilities under PPP projects, especially in the infrastructure sector,” she
said.
She said that
the expansion and extension of connectivity arising out of the Silk Road
Economic Belt would help further boost the bilateral economic relations,
tourism exchange, investment and people to people contacts.
FNCCI vice-president
Shekhar Golchha said that it was time to further strengthen cooperation in
trade, investment, tourism and people to people relationship between China and
Nepal.
The meeting
was jointly organised by the FNCCI and ACFIC.
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