14 border trade points including Kimathanka resume operation
KIMATHANKA, SANKHUWASABHA: A total of 14 traditional border trade points, including Kimathanka in Sankhuwasabha district, which are connected with China, resumed operations on Saturday.
The Chinese government had closed various border checkpoints since 2076 BS due to concerns over the Covid 19 pandemic.
The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Narayan Kaji Shrestha, and the Vice President of the Tibet Autonomous Region, Silang Nima, jointly announced the resumption of all 14 trade points along the Nepal-China border, including Kimathanka, at an event organised on Saturday in Chhentang, China.
Speaking to media personnel at Tumlingtar Airport in Sankhuwasabha during the announcement of the reopening of trade points, Deputy Prime Minister Shrestha stated that the operation of the traditional border transit points has been officially announced. He informed that seven checkpoints began operations on Saturday, while seven others will be reopened soon.
Minister Shrestha further shared that 14 trade points along the border with China, including Kimathanka, have been reopened following continuous diplomatic follow-ups by the government.
Deputy Prime Minister Shrestha said that it was agreed to resume the traditional trade points during his official visit to China last March.
Deputy Prime Minister Shrestha was accompanied by the Chief Minister of Koshi Province, Hikmat Kumar Karki, joint secretaries at the Ministry of Home and Foreign Affairs, the Chief District Officer, and the chief of the district security agency on the occasion.
Locals of Bhotkhola were found to be euphoric after the reopening of the Kimathanka border point. In the past, the local residents used to import food from a nearby Chinese market via the trade point.
The customs office was established in Kimathanka in 2035 BS. After a decade-long armed conflict in the country, the border customs office at Hatia in Bhotkhola was relocated to Khandbari in 2057 BS.
The Kimathanka point is 162 km away from Khandbari, Sankhuwasabha district headquarters.
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