China to support in operation of direct flights

State 5 chief minister Shankar Pokhrel has said there was a need for collaboration and cooperation for enhancing relations between Lumbini and the heritage sites of China.

The Chief Minister expressed this during a meeting with Ambassador of China to Nepal, Hou Yanqi, at the Office of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers of State 5 in Butwal yesterday. He said Nepal and China were linked by the Buddhist culture and Lumbini was an important means for fostering relations between the two countries.

Chief Minister Pokhrel expressed the belief that Chinese experience would be useful in upgrading and improving the service of Lumbini Provincial Hospital of Butwal and Rapti Provincial Hospital at Tulasipur.

On the occasion, Chief Minister Pokhrel, through ambassador Hou, extended an invitation to the Sichuan province governor to visit State-5 as Sichuan province and State 5 had sisterly relations. He also invited the Chinese ambassador to Lumbini on the occasion of the conclusion of Lumbini Vist Year and the Buddha Jayanti ceremony.

During the meeting, the Chinese ambassador said that China would always support Nepal in its development endeavors. She also expressed that the bilateral relations between the two countries had reached to a newer height following the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Nepal and the visit of President Bidya Devi Bhandari of Nepal to China some months back.