By Yubaraj Ghimire

LHASA (Tibet)

China values Nepal’s unequivocal support of the one China policy and other crucial issues during times of need. "The bilateral friendship is old and quite active," said Go Then Ling, vice chairman of the Cultural Exchange office under the Tibetan Autonomous Region.

Addressing a group of visiting Nepali journalists, Then Ling said this deep faith and appreciation of each other’s problems in the right spirit has opened the door of many future possibilities. High level visits from both sides, including the one recently undertaken by His Majesty King Gyanendra to Beijing are part of the continuing attempts in that direction.

"We are preparing to build necessary infrastructures and facilities for tourists from Nepal," he said, adding that the issue of opening additional tourist and transit points along the border is under consideration of the government. The Nepali Consulate General’s office in Lhasa has also raised this point.

The vice chairman said almost all the bilateral issues actually fall under the jurisdiction of the central government, but Tibet which shares geographical and historical bonds with Nepal is supportive of continued intimacy and increased co-operation between the two countries. In this context, he said even the question of Chinese participation or investment in Nepal’s industrial arena is something that should be expeditiously decided at the central level. Industrial issues could form part of the agenda of regular scheduled meetings between the two countries on trade and economic relations. "We want co-operation level increased in future," Then Ling said.

Additionally, Tibet has been opened to foreigners, with more than 140,000 tourists visiting the province last year. Similarly, a flood of visitors from many countries including Nepal visit Mt. Kailash. The ‘group visit’ rule is being relaxed and even individual tourists will be welcome now. "Certain procedures are being made to facilitate implementation of this procedure," Then Ling said.

While Tibet is being visited by increasing numbers of tourists each year, what amazes people is not only the serene and purest form of nature, but also the pace of developmental activities and infrastructure generations. At least seven Chinese provinces have been asked by the central government to bring Tibet up to par with the countries most developed provinces in the near future.

The policy is being strictly followed to adhere to the deadline. Lhasa will have its first railway link with China’s industrial centre Sanghai in the next two to three years, which will give a big boost to its economic activities as well. Asked about the possibility of this railway route being extended up to the Nepal border, Then Ling said, "This again is something that I can not make any comment on. But if the two sides feel it will benefit each other, it’s for Nepal and Beijing to decide." Construction of the railway track—part of which might well be world’s highest train route—is continuing according to schedule. Then Ling said it would be an ‘environmentally friendly’ railway as protecting environment is ‘our priority’.