FNCCI urges Chinese to invest in Nepal
KATHMANDU, FEB 25:
Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has requested Chinese entrepreneurs to invest in the hydropower, infrastructure and tourism sectors.
Senior vice president of the umbrella organisation of Nepali entrepreneurs Bhaskar Raj Rajkarnikar urged entrepreneurs from Yunnan province to establish a bilateral relationship through investments in the aforementioned sectors, today.
Nepal has an investment potential in tourism, infrastructure and hydropower and we would welcome Chinese investments in them, he said, adding that the country is adopting investment friendly policies to attract foreign direct investment.
“We are celebrating the fiscal year 2012-13 as Investment Year and the government has established the Investment Board to facilitate foreign investment in the country,” he informed. He also urged Chinese entrepreneurs to provide support in marketing Nepali tourism in China. “The year 2012 has been announced as Visit Lumbini Year (VLY),” he said, adding that China through its tourism could also help promote Lumbini. “Promoting Lumbini in a proper manner can attract thousands of Chinese tourists.”
Nepal will also promote Visit Lumbini Year at the 20th China Import and Export Fair in Kunming of Yunnan province. “We have two agendas— promotion of Investment Year 2012-13 and Visit Lumbini Year 2012— at the fair and at the 5th South Asian Countries Trade Fair,” said Rajkarnikar.
Kunming will organise the fairs on June 6-10, 2012. Leader of the Chinese delegation, Xin Weiguang, who is also the president of Yunnan Overseas Friendship Association, hoped that bilateral trade and investment between Nepal and China would flourish in the future.
“We will provide opportunities to Nepali business people to interact with Chinese entrepreneurs during the fairs,” he assured, “The Chinese people do have an attraction towards Nepal but we have to promote tourism and investment opportunities there.”
Nepal and China has bilateral trade worth $ 621 million but Nepal is facing a huge trade deficit. Both organisations agreed to work on narrowing the trade deficit.
Meanwhile, FNCCI invited Chinese entrepreneurs from Yunnan province to participate in the Nepal International Trade Fair 2012 which will be held on April 5-9 in Kathmandu. “We would like to invite Chinese entrepreneurs to the trade fair,” said Rajkarnikar.
The trade fair aims to showcase Nepal as a potential investment destination in South Asia along with the exhibition of goods and services. About 1,000 international visitors are expected at the fair.
Source: THT
