[Translation] Chinese journalist's observations at the Nepal-China border
Original article reported by Reference news (参考消息), Author: Li Hua, Lu Xing, Wei Guanyu published in 2024-04-04
Title: China’s border trade boom is returning - Our reporter visits the border crossings between China and Nepal
Tibet is an important channel for China to open up to South Asia. Shigatse City in the Tibet Autonomous Region, which borders India, Nepal, and Bhutan—five of Tibet’s six land treaty ports are located here—is the place where Tibet implemented reform and opening up earlier, and it is also the most active place in Tibet’s foreign trade and open to South Asia. the forefront area.
In late March, the reporter drove more than 2,000 km from Lhasa, passing through cliffs, snow-capped mountains, meadows, and dunes reaching Zhangmu Port in Nyalam County, Shigatse City, Kerung Port in Kerung County, and Lizi Port in Zhongba County. We can see that with the smooth resumption of two-way customs clearance and personnel exchanges, the prosperity of the China-Nepal border trade in the past is reviving.
Three Major Ports: Double traffic for passengers and goods, double increase in value of goods
"You must drive the 318 in this life" - National Highway 318 is the "dream road" for countless tourists to travel by car into Tibet reaching the endpoint being the Zhangmu Port.
Zhangmu Port is a national first-class[1] land port. Historically, it has been responsible for more than half of China's trade with Nepal and more than 90% of Tibet's trade with Nepal. In 2015, it was temporarily closed due to the earthquake in Nepal. After eight years, Zhangmu Port resumed its two-way freight channel function on May 1, 2023, and resumed two-way personnel exchanges on September 1 of that year.
Standing on the Friendship Bridge connecting China and Nepal, the reporter saw a group of Nepali border residents entering China through the Zhangmu Port Joint Inspection Center and going to the Zhangmu Border Trade Market to buy daily necessities. Large trucks transporting goods kept shuttling.
According to staff at the local entry-exit border inspection station, since the resumption of two-way personnel exchanges, the average daily inbound and outbound passenger flow at Zhangmu Port has been between 1,000 and 1,200.
After entering China from Zhangmu Port, not far away is the Zhangmu Border Trade Market. The dozen or so newly built shops here are crowded with Nepali border residents. From candies to clothes and hats, they are all popular products among Nepali people. The reporter saw at the border trade market that Nepali border residents shuttled through the market, carrying large and small bags filled with instant noodles, drinks, clothes, shoes hats, and other commodities.
"Autumn and winter jackets, summer T-shirts, sports suits, and children's clothing are all popular among Nepali customers," said Tenzing, the owner of a store selling shoes, hats, and clothing.
According to Tenzing, the store receives more than 30 Nepali border residents every day, and its turnover reaches more than 2,000 yuan per day. “Now I run two stores. If it happens to be an important festival in Nepal, it gets busy, so I have hired a shop assistant to help".
Deji, the owner of a food store, told reporters that his daily turnover can now reach more than 1,000 yuan, making a net profit of three to four hundred yuan. “When business picks up in April and May, I plan to purchase more goods to give Nepali customers more choices.”
The reporter learned from interviews that in 2023, the import and export trade volume of Zhangmu Port reached 86,300 tons, with a cargo value of 1.767 billion yuan, and various trade indicators have reached their peaks since 2019. From January to February 2024, trade volume increased by 78% year-on-year, and trade volume increased by approximately three times.
As the import and export trade volume at Zhangmu Port continues to increase, it is urgent to improve the efficiency of border trade. On March 20, the reporter witnessed that after five Nepali trucks completed customs clearance procedures, the driver drove the tractor-trailer directly from the China-Nepal Friendship Bridge into Zhangmu Port and Zhangmu Town without passing through secondary flip-loading which saved time in loading and unloading goods.
Zhangmu Town is built on a mountain, and the roads are narrow, making it difficult for trucks to pass in both directions. This procedure was for the feasibility of Nepali trucks entering Zhangmu Town and for the efficient development of bilateral trade between the two sides in the future.
The growing prosperity of border trade does not only appear at Zhangmu Port. Along National Highway 219, the reporter saw a similar scene again at the Kerung Port, more than 300 km away.
The Kerung Port, where customs was established in 1962, is a traditional border trade port between China and Nepal. More than 100 kilometers south of the port is Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. Affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Kerung Port had temporarily suspended customs clearance.
Our note: When it comes to Kerung Port and the opening of new infrastructures, we have also done a translation of Tibet’s latest development plan on adding new airports by 2035 including in Kerung. The link can be accessed here.
With the joint efforts of China and Nepal, the Kerung Port resumed two-way cargo flow and personnel exchanges at the end of 2022 and on April 1, 2023. Today, along the way from Kerung Town to Kerung Port, reporters saw large Nepali trucks passing by or stopping on the roadside to load and unload goods from time to time. Different from Zhangmu Port, the roads here are wider, making it easier for large machinery and equipment to enter and exit.
The reporter saw at the Kerung Port cargo inspection site that there were more than 40 Nepali vans parked in the loading area, waiting to be loaded with Chinese goods. "During the peak season, more than 500 Nepali trucks are parked here." Chinese businessman Tashi, who was unloading goods, told the reporters.
Walnuts and dates from Xinjiang, apples from Gansu, cashew nuts from Jiangxi... In March alone, Tashi has exported three trucks of Chinese specialties to Nepal. "This truck arrived in Geelong last night. It will be loaded and cleared for customs today. It will arrive in Kathmandu tomorrow."
Our note: You can also read our previous translation work on “Chinese apples monopolizes Nepali market” where as a part of “one village one product” policy by the Ministry of Agriculture, Gansu province’s Zhuanglang county of Wanquan town celebrated their first 500 tons of apples exported to Nepal which happened despite border restrictions in 2021. Full article here .
After walking out of Kerung Valley, the reporter came to the Lizi Port, the highest port in Tibet. The reporter saw in the Lizi Port border trade market that the newly built glass ceiling was transparent and bright, and there was a dazzling array of silver jewelry, silver bowls, beads, and other items from Nepal.
The Lizi Port at an altitude of 4,772 m opened for operation on November 13, 2023. It is the fourth land port in Tibet to officially clear customs after Zhangmu, Kerung, and Pulan.
"After the official customs clearance, I come to China in the morning and returned to Nepal in the evening. I could earn five to six thousand yuan a day." Kalyan, a Nepal businessman who speaks fluent Chinese, was playing with accessories and recommending products to reporters: "This shoulder bag is very Nepali-looking. I bought dozens of them in one batch, and only one was sold today.”
From Zhangmu, Kerung to Lizi Port, the reporter conducted interviews all the way and witnessed the continuous recovery and prosperity of the China-Nepal border trade. The reporter learned from Shigatse City that in 2023, the weight of customs clearance cargo at the three major ports was 140,500 tons, a year-on-year increase of 44.35%; the value of customs clearance goods was 5.153 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 83.58%.
Two Major Changes: product iteration and efficiency improvement
China is Nepal's second-largest trading partner. During a survey at the three major ports in Tibet, the reporter found that since last year, the categories of goods exported to Nepal have undergone structural changes: the proportion of high-value-added goods has been increasing, which not only reflects the iterative upgrading of China’s exports to Nepal but also reflects Nepal's demand for Chinese goods is undergoing profound changes.
The reporter learned from Zhangmu Port that the types of export commodities have increased by 37% in 2023, and the number of participating companies increased by 15%. Among them, the proportion of new products such as LED lights and e-cigarettes will gradually increase, while the traditional major export item - apple, the proportion of single goods value in the total value of goods has declined from more than 50% last year to more than 40% this year.
In recent years, export goods at Kerung Port have also shifted from low value-added to high value-added. In the past, exports were mainly department store goods, agricultural products, engineering supplies, construction materials, etc, but now there are more and more new energy vehicles and large machinery. New energy vehicles, lithium batteries, and photovoltaic products are known as the "three new items" of China’s foreign trade. The popularity of new energy vehicles in Nepal is in line with the changing trend of China’s foreign trade cargo structure.
Approaching the Kerung Port, dozens of brand-new domestic new energy vehicles are seen lined up neatly on the roadside waiting to clear customs. According to statistics, the number of new energy vehicle exports at the Kerung Port has increased significantly, from more than 400 vehicles in 2022 to more than 4,200 vehicles in 2023, and the trade volume has increased nearly 10 times. About 1,000 vehicles have been exported in the first quarter of 2024, and the number is expected to reach 6,000 vehicles throughout the year. At present, the export value of new energy vehicles has accounted for one-fifth of the total export volume of Kerung Port.
"Large-scale equipment from all over the country is also being exported to Nepal" - this is also a major change that the reporter saw during the interview.
In a warehouse near the Kerung Port Cargo Inspection Field, the reporter saw that it was filled with various goods, including not only auto parts, paint, palm oil, clothing, footwear, zippers, fabrics, soles, and other small clothing ingredients, but also some large machinery packed in wooden boxes stood in front of us. "These large pieces of machinery and equipment came from Guangzhou, Yiwu, and other places, and the number is still increasing," said Dunga, a manager at Musa International Logistics Company.
"In the past, more finished garments were exported, but now the proportion of garment accessories has increased." A staff member at Zhangmu Port told reporters that Nepal's garment industry is shifting from garment trade to local processing, which will provide a boost to the development of the local manufacturing industry and the masses. Employment brings more opportunities.
The diversification of export goods also puts forward new requirements for customs clearance efficiency.
Since Nepal has high requirements for the arrival time of new energy vehicles, Kerung Customs provides 24-hour customs clearance services to understand the company's export plans in advance, conduct pre-reviews, and shorten the customs clearance time for goods.
Nyalam Customs has opened a green channel for the export of agricultural products, improved export inspection and customs clearance processes, and achieved priority inspection of agricultural products, "register as you arrive”, “register as you leave" (“随到随报”“随报随走”), improve customs clearance efficiency of agricultural products, and effectively reduce transportation losses and business costs. "Agricultural products have very high requirements for preservation. We quickly clear customs. It takes more than four hours from Zhangmu Port to Kathmandu." said Bianba Dunzhu, chief of the Nyalam Customs Comprehensive Business Section.
Relying on its location advantages, the Tibet Autonomous Region is building an international land port and a smart import and export cargo inspection site in the Economic Development Zone of Shigatse City. By then, this central governing body will empower all ports in the region. For example, after all, the goods have been inspected and sealed by the "customs sniffing robot", the customs will use positioning technology to supervise the entire process in transit. If the trajectory is not abnormal, the cargo box can be directly "non-inductive clearance" after arriving at the port, greatly improving the clearance efficiency.
More Expectations: Friendship from generation to generation, writing a new chapter
China and Nepal are connected by mountains and rivers and have been friendly for generations.
The hydropower stations built by China have helped the Nepali people light up their homes. New energy vehicles made in China can be found in the streets and alleys of Nepal. Various commodities produced in China have entered thousands of households in Nepal. Similarly, Nepalis doing business, studying, and living in China are constantly integrating into China and falling in love with China.
Walking in Kerung Town, where the Kerung Port is located, the neat and wide streets are lined with Nepali shops. From the products sold to the store decoration style, the whole town exudes Nepali style. According to reports, thousands of Nepalis live here during the peak season.
Pasang is one of the Nepalis doing business in Kerung Town. She and her brother run a two-story Nepali restaurant, which specializes in rice-curry set meals served on copper plates, as well as fried noodles, pancakes, fried chicken, and lemon tea.
"Because the eating habits are similar, we introduced authentic Nepali dishes, which are very popular among local residents and tourists. During the peak tourist season in Kerung, the net profit can reach 7,000 to 8,000 yuan a day," Pasang said.
After working hard in China for 12 years, Pasang has adapted very well to life in Kerung Town and has fallen deeply in love with it. "I now go back to Nepal twice a year, and spend most of the other time in Kerung. China is a society governed by the rule of law, and I feel very safe living here."
The convenience and security provided by China have made Pasang and his family choose to take root here, and they have more expectations for the future: “I hope to import more food from Nepal so that I can entertain Chinese customers with authentic Nepali specialties. "I also want to learn Chinese well." "If possible, I would consider getting married in China." Pasang's wish has come true for many people.
In January this year, when the reporter visited the Pulan Port in Ngari Prefecture, Tibet, he found that many Nepalis came here to do business or settle down. There were six Sino-Nepal married families in Pulan Town, which became the epitome of China-Nepal good-neighborly friendship.
During the research and interview, the reporter recorded such a sweet love story: In May 2010, in a restaurant in the border trade market, 31-year-old Pubhu Dunzhu met 39-year-old Nepali border resident Yu Zhenma. Because Pubhu Dunzhu has a bad gastrointestinal condition, Yuzhenma often cooks and delivers meals to him and reminds him to eat on time. As time passed, Pubhu Dunzhu was moved by Yuzhenma's hard work and kindness, and Yuzhenma was also attracted by Pubudunzhu's loyalty, and soon the two got married.
Jirang Community in Pulan County is an area with the largest number of Nepali border residents. Here, the reporter saw children playing on bicycles and women weaving Nepali handicrafts in the community square. “I got married to local Nima Tashi in 2015 and am living happily now,” said Nepali resident Pema Sangmu. “Now I am a ‘Chinese daughter-in-law’ and I want to lay my roots here.”
In 2018, the local government invested 280 million yuan to build the Tangga Border trade market in Pulan County, covering an area of 39,800 square meters, with a total of 316 shops and 12 warehouses. This border trade market is becoming a modern trade distribution center integrating small commodities, ethnic handicrafts, and tourist souvenirs.
According to Nima, a Nepali businessman, more than 1,000 Nepali border residents do business or work in Pulan County in the summer when business is booming. “Special thanks to the Chinese government for introducing many preferential policies, which allow us to do business here with peace of mind. I hope that the people of our two countries will be friendly from generation to generation and that China-Nepal friendship will last forever,” he said.
The relationship between countries lies in the affinity between people, and the affinity between people lies in the closeness of heart. The Himalayas bear witness to all this.
**This is the full translation of the original article which can be accessed in Chinese here.
[1] First-class customs ports: sea (river), land, and air cargo ports that are approved by the State Council and allow Chinese nationals and foreign nationals, goods, articles, and means of transport to enter or exit directly from national (customs or border) borders. (Link: https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E4%B8%80%E7%B1%BB%E5%8F%A3%E5%B2%B8/6496279?fr=ge_ala)