(TibetanReview.net, Aug03’25) – Nepal has on Aug 1 raised a host of grievances, including with a call for the restoration of the pre-2015-earthquake border trade patterns, during a border security meeting between the two sides in Zhangmu (Tibetan: Dram) town, Tibet, which lies across the Miteri (Friendship) Bridge from Nepal’s Sindhupalchok. China focused more on discussing cooperation in fighting cross-border crime, reported the kathmandupost.com Aug 2.
The meeting – which took place as the two countries marked 70 years of diplomatic ties – was convened between local administrative, immigration, customs, and security officials from the two sides.
“The talks covered a wide range of issues including border security, trade and tourism promotion, and grassroots-level people-to-people ties,” Sindhupalchok’s Chief District Officer Kiran Thapa, who led the Nepali delegation, has said.
The meeting took place weeks after a massive flood cut off connection between Nepal and Tibet’s Kyirong county through Rasuwagadhi, a major trading point between the two sides.
While mobility between the two sides through the route has been halted since the flood swept away the Nepal-Tibet Miteri (Friendship) bridge on Jul 8, Nepal’s trade grievances dated as far back as from the devastating 2015 earthquake which led to the closure of its border with Tibet.
During the meeting, the Nepali side urged China to prioritise the resumption of exports from Nepal, resume operations of the dry port at Tatopani, and increase container movement ahead of upcoming religious festivals.
Nepal also asked to be included in the Kailash Mansarovar bus route and a return to pre-earthquake trade patterns, which once saw 182 categories of Nepali goods—including handicrafts, herbs, and noodles—exported to Tibet, the report said.
Despite the reopening of exports through Tatopani on May 1, 2021, China allows only one-sided trade, heavily restricting Nepali exports, the report cited Nepali traders as saying. This has been confirmed by customs officials according to whom only seven containers of Nepali goods—worth around Rs 5 million—had been allowed through since May, with no exports for a long interval.
The Tatopani dry port and customs office chief Rajendra Prasad Chudal has said that while China has effectively halted exports, Nepal was continuing to push for reciprocal trade access and a more efficient border process.
China was represented at the meeting by officials from Nyalam County, while the Nepali delegation included CDO Thapa, Superintendent of Police Rameshwar Karki, and Armed Police Force personnel, the report said.
Meanwhile, at a reception held on the same day in Kathmandu to mark the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries, Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said his country valued the “time-tested friendship” with China and looked forward to further advancing bilateral relations.
Nepal firmly adheres to the one-China principle, and China has consistently respected Nepal’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence, China’s official globaltimes.cn Aug 2 cited Oli as saying.
Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Chen Song has said his country was ready to assist Nepal in addressing its development challenges with Chinese solutions.