Kathmandu, Oct 11: Former Ambassador of Nepal to China Tanka Karki said Friday that sentiments of all forces within the country should be accommodated to reap as much benefit from China.
In an interview with Rastriya Samachar Samiti with regards to Chinese President Xi Jinping's two-day Nepal visit being started on October 12, Karki saw the Chinese President's visit as an opportunity to take up the issues of Nepal's national priority.
Karki served as an Ambassador to China from 2007 to 2010.
Karki reiterated that Nepal-China relations are ancient and developed from social relations. Digging history about Nepal's relations with China, he said the then Chinese ruling parties had information about Lumbini and Buddha even before AD began in China.
They wanted to know about Nepal in a bid to spread Buddhism in China. During 405 AD, Chinese Buddhist monk, Faxian for the first time visited Lumbini, Ramgram and Kapilvastu of Nepal. He also met Buddhist monk Buddhabhadra.
During 638 AD, Hsuan Tsang visited Nepal. Both Buddhabhadra and Hsuan together spread Buddhism in China.
The travel history of both of them had helped establish Lumbini as birthplace of Buddha.
Bhrikuti married Songtsen Gampo, the then Tibetan King.
Bhrikuti's efforts to contribute to Buddhist education had helped establish good relations between Nepal and China.
Five years following Bhrikuti's marriage, Chinese ambassador Wang Huen Che reached Nepal on his visit to India.
Nepal had helped rescue Wang who was captured in India. Araniko's China visit helped promote Nepal's education, culture and technology in China.
In this way, there has been an exchange of technology between Nepal and China. Diplomatic relations between Nepal and China had established in 1955.
So far the relations have been strengthened and balanced.
China has become the second powerful state of the world, and Nepal has been receiving big assistances from it. China has comparatively put Nepal on its number one list among 14 neighbouring countries.
Talking about current Nepal-China relations, Karki said China is emerging as a powerful state of the world and Nepal is practicing federal democratic republic.
China has a responsibility to focus on its neighbours and Nepal besides its development activities.
Nepal has 1400 kilometers border with China for which development, they (China) are ready to provide help. Statements of China's Minister for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi during his Nepal visit to be ready to provide assistances in Nepal's priority projects indicated responsible statements of good neighbouring relations.
Nepal also should respect China's interest and one-China policy to further strengthen relations between the two countries, he stressed.
Commitments put forward for the common future of the two countries should be implemented.
Nepal should utilise China's goodwill for its economic social development.
Talking about China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), he said Nepal should select projects and prepare its priorities to get connected with road connectivity under the BRI to receive goodwill from China.
Nepal being linked with road connectivity would help attract as many as tourists, apart from expanding industrial trade.
More than 9 million tourists visit Lhasa of which only 20 to 30 percent influx of tourists to Nepal could help with the country's economic development.
As he said, Nepal has a policy of enmity with none and friendship with all, according to which, it can take benefits from its neighbours.
But regarding BRI, Nepal has not made such preparations for the global development strategy as should be done.
With relations to Chinese President Xi's visit to Nepal and its impact on Nepal-China relations, he said Nepal is impatiently waiting for President Xi's visit.
There is a need to specify Nepal-China assistance sector during the visit.
Nepal has proposed nine projects under the BRI including Kerung-Kathmandu Railway and science and technology, which would help with the country's infrastructural development.
There is a need for Nepal to attract Chinese investment. Both the sides could take benefits from Nepal's resources.
For further strengthening Nepal-China relations, he said Nepal should not let the use of its land and sky against China.
There should not be any interference in each other's internal affairs, and Nepal should adhere to one-china policy.