July 13: Chinese Ambassador to Nepal, Hou Yanqi, has reportedly asserted that Nepal is an important partner for China to jointly build the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The Chinese envoy added that China-Nepal bilateral cooperation in various fields have made positive progress.    
Ambassador Hou made such statement during an online press conference organized by the Chinese Embassy in Nepal on Monday (July 12), according to the state-owned national news agency (RSS).    
"China-aided Kathmandu Durbar High School Reconstruction Project has been completed and handed over to the Nepali side. The pre-feasibility study of the Tokha-Chhahare Tunnel Project has been finished. The construction of Pokhara International Airport and Gautam Buddha International Airport is progressing well. The construction of the third phase of China Aid Araniko Highway Long-term Opening Maintenance Project has been started. Trans-Himalayan multi-dimensional connectivity network is gradually taking shape," RSS quoted Ambassador Hou as saying.    
Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ambassador Hou said, China has actively carried out international cooperation in the fight against the pandemic, and is committed to ensuring accessibility and affordability of vaccines in developing countries.    
"Till date, China has provided over 450 million doses of vaccines to nearly 100 countries including Nepal. The first batch of the vaccines procured by Nepal from China has arrived. I wish those vaccines will play an important role in building an immune firewall for the Nepali people," she shared.    
She added that when China encounters difficulties, developing countries including Nepal also provide support to China within their capabilities, actively speak for China on international and multilateral platforms, resolutely oppose some countries’ smear against China on issues such as human rights and origin-tracing of COVID-19 virus.    
"Just as President Xi Jinping reiterated, China will always be a member of the developing world. No matter how the international situation changes, we will always be a reliable friend and sincere partner of developing countries."    
She reiterated that China will remain committed to promoting peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit, with an independent foreign policy that promotes peace, and to the path of peaceful development.    
According to the Chinese Ambassador, the Communist Party of China stands ready to continue to work with political parties and political organizations of all countries including Nepal, RSS added.

She further said that China aims to make even greater contributions to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, high-quality development of BRI and a better world.