BEIJING: Countries in the Himalayan region have consistently maintained frequent exchanges, and regional countries aspire to benefit from China’s rapid economic development.
However, due to geographical constraints, there are natural obstacles to connectivity.
Countries in the Himalayan region have consistently maintained frequent exchanges, and regional countries aspire to benefit from China’s rapid economic development.
Qian Feng, the director of the research department at the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University, emphasized that this platform has introduced a novel avenue for trans-Himalayan countries. It has instilled confidence and nurtured heightened expectations for future openness. The third China Xizang Trans-Himalaya Forum for International Cooperation convened in Nyingchi, Southwest China’s Xizang (Tibet).
More than 40 countries, regions, and international organizations participated in the forum. According to forum statistics, Xizang’s foreign trade import and export value in 2022 reached 4.6 billion yuan ($640 million), marking a year-on-year increase of 14.6 percent. Trade spanned 95 countries and regions, with Belt and Road nations accounting for 2.4 billion yuan in imports and exports.
From January to August, Xizang’s total foreign trade volume surged by 72.5 percent. Qian highlighted the shift from primarily bilateral cooperation among trans-Himalayan countries to a multilateral platform, enabling nations to leverage their strengths for complementarity and collective impact.
A significant outcome of the forum was the unveiling of the Nyingchi Initiative. China proposed collaborative efforts with trans-Himalayan countries to enhance environmental governance, jointly address ecological challenges, and fortify regional biodiversity, natural resources, and environmental protection. China also pledged to bolster infrastructure construction, encompassing railways, highways, power grids, telecommunications, and aviation in the Himalayan region, fostering a comprehensive network for cross-Himalayan connectivity.
China will further intensify economic and trade exchanges, deepen agricultural cooperation, and jointly establish a Himalayan economic cooperation belt. This year’s event witnessed increased participation and higher-ranking officials, including new members such as Afghanistan, signaling growing international recognition and interest in the mechanism.
The next phase of cooperation will primarily concentrate on infrastructure and connectivity, including extending the Qinghai-Xizang Railway to Nepal and expanding the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to Afghanistan. Additionally, a new focus area emerged in the form of collaboration on green, low-carbon development, water and soil resource conservation, and climate change initiatives.
Dignitaries such as Caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani, Deputy Prime Minister of Mongolia Sainbuyan Amarsaikhan, Vice Chairperson of the National Assembly of Nepal Urmila Aryal, and Afghan Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi attended the forum. —APP
