KATHMANDU: Nepal and China are going to hold talks here on customs time harmonisation, infrastructure development in new customs points and quarantine-related issues to facilitate bilateral trade in the first week of November. Deputy director generals (DDG) of the Customs Department of both Nepal and Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) will lead the delegations of their respective governments.
Customs time harmonisation means harmonising working hours at border customs point for customs clearance. Due to lack of working hour harmonisation between Nepal side and Tibet side, traders are compelled to spend more time at the border for customs clearance. It is expected that travel time of cargoes could be shortened and the cost of trade will be minimised to some extent, which in turn would benefit traders and ultimately the consumers.
Nepal and TAR will talk on building understanding in providing mutual recognition for quarantine certification of each other’s products.
According to Damodar Regmi, deputy director general of Department of Customs, recognition of certificates issued by quarantine labs of the two neighbours will also reduce the number of non-tariff measures imposed by both nations to give access to goods in their respective markets.
Most importantly, the meeting will also hold talks on developing infrastructure in the new customs points, namely, Yari, Humla-Poraag; Olangchung Gola, Taplejung-Riwa; Jumla-Penan; Mustang-Lizi; Larke, Gorkha-Tibet and Kimathanka, Sankhuwasabha-Riwa in a bid to boost bilateral trade. Currently, Tatopani and Rasuwa are the major customs points for trade with China via land. The DDG-level talks will discuss on the required infrastructure in their respective customs point to develop them as modern customs points, according to Regmi.
Nepal and China have also been laying the groundwork to open new trade routes. The commerce ministry joint secretary level talks, on August 22, had proposed conducting feasibility study of two additional routes, namely, Lamabagar of Dolakha, Mugu and Chhekampar of Gorkha district and concerned border points of Tibet.
A version of this article appears in print on September 23, 2015 of The Himalayan Times.
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