The 23 members of Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FNCCI) delegation led by Mr. Chandi Raj Dhakal, Immediate Past President of FNCCI participated in the 10th Meeting of Nepal-China Non-Governmental Cooperation Forum, held in Chengdu City of Sichuan Province of the People’s Republic of China on 28th July, 2009. The theme of the meeting was Investment in Hydropower and Agriculture sectors of Nepal.
The Forum was established in 1996 by agreement between the governments of Nepal and China to promote trade, investment, cultural and other relations between the non-governmental and private sectors of the two countries. The forum’s meeting is being held alternately in Nepal and China every year.
The meeting was graced by the presence of Mr. Li Chongxi, Vice Secretary of Sichuan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China and Mr. Huang Xiaoxing, Vice Governor of People’s Government of Sichuan Province. The Chinese side was led by Mr. Xie Jingrong, Vice-Chairman of All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce (ACFIC).
Mr. Xie Jingrong, Mr. Huang Xiaoxiang and Mr. Chandi Raj Dhakal gave their speeches on the opening ceremony. Mr. Liu Xin, Vice director of Sichuan Provincial Department of Commerce (SCPDC) introduced the open economy of Sichuan Province, while Mr. Bhaskar Raj Rajkarnikar, Vice Chairman of FNCCI delivered presentation to the participants on the Trade and Investment Opportunities in Nepal. From Chinese side, Mr. Jiang Wei, Second Secretary of Department of Asian Affairs of Chinese Foreign Ministry, entrepreneurs Wang Zhenyong, He Peng, Jian Xingfu, Zhao Xifeng spoke on the forum. From Nepalese side, Mr Gyandendra Lal Pradhan, Coordinator of Hydropower Forum of FNCCI, and Mr. Arun Shrestha, Senior Officer of FNCCI, delivered presentations on Investment Opportunities in Hydropower Sector of Nepal and Agriculture and Forest Based Products of Nepal, respectively. Entrepreneurs from both countries conducted business negotiations during the one-to-one meeting session organized during the Forum.
A Memorandum between the two sides was signed by Mr. Chandi Raj Dhakal from Nepalese side, and Mr. Xie Jingrong from the Chinese side. In the memorandum, both sides expressed their satisfaction that the last ten years of the forum has reaped positive achievements and highlighted that the forum, because it is entering a new phase of development, needs to improve the format and enrich the content. Both sides agreed that the annual forum meeting being held alternatively in China and Nepal is to be held as per determined by the two sides to respond to the increasing mutual business activities. It was also agreed that the Forum’s activities needs to be moved in new direction as per the trade and investment opportunities created due to the changing global and regional economic dynamics and development. Both sides also agreed that under the framework of the forum, multifold commercial activities between the two countries would take place, such as, exchange of trade delegations, trainings for Nepalese entrepreneurs, and exchange of assistance for entrepreneurs from each other country to conduct businesses.
The Chinese side expressed their commitment to enhance the Forum’s role for mutually beneficial trade, investment, and economic relations, especially committing on training for Nepalese entrepreneurs.
Mr. Chandi Raj Dhakal expressed his satisfaction on the successful outcome of the forum meeting and praised the enthusiasm shown during the meeting by the businessmen and governments of both sides to promote and expand the Forum’s activities.
Around 150 Chinese businessmen and delegates from various business sectors such as Hydropower, Agriculture industry, Herbal Industry, Electrical and electronic industry, took part in the meeting, along with the visiting FNCCI delegation including the delegates from chambers of commerce and industries of Dhading, Myagdi, Sindhupalchowk, Surkhet, Khotang, Dailekh, and Dolkha districts of Nepal.
