(TibetanReview.net, Nov14’23) – China has on Nov 13 opened a new land port serving as a gateway between it through Tibet and Nepal to give bilateral economic and trade exchanges a major boost, reported China’s official chinadaily.com.cn Nov 13 and globaltimes.cn Nov 12.
The Lektse port is the fourth land port in Tibet, following the ports of Zham (Tibetan: Dram), Gyirong (Kyirong), and Burang (Purang).
Built with an investment of 400 million yuan (about $55.7 million), Lektse port in Zhongba (Drongpa) County, Xigaze (Shigase), is the highest port in Tibet to date, and has long served as a salt and grain trading point between China (ie, Tibet) and Nepal, said the chinadaily.com.cn report.
The report cited Wang Fanghong, mayor of Xigaze, as saying its opening was of great significance in helping to establish an all-round opening-up pattern in Tibet, a gateway to South Asia, and promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation between China and Nepal.
“The Nechung (Mustang)-Lizi (Tibetan: Lektse) border is being opened in a full-fledged manner for the first time,” the Kathmandu Post earlier reported Nov 12, citing Janak Raj Pant, the chief district officer of Mustang.
Situated across from Nepal’s Mustang District, the Lizi Port in Tibet has favourable conditions as the terrain is relatively flat in the area and Mustang is close to the economic core of Nepal. The opening of the port is highly advantageous for both countries in strengthening economic and trade ties, the globaltimes.cn report cited Liu Zongyi, secretary-general of the Research Center for China-South Asia Cooperation at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, as saying.
In line with China’s promotion of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the Tibet region has ramped up efforts to transform itself into a crucial gateway to South Asia, Liu has said, noting that strengthening construction of the ports was one of the main steps.