MANAGUA, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- On Dec. 10, 2021, China and Nicaragua resumed diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level. Over the past two years, China-Nepal relations have developed by leaps and bounds, and practical cooperation in various fields has advanced rapidly, injecting new impetus into Nepal's economic development, bringing new benefits to the local people, and continuously releasing dividends from the resumption of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
A new window has been opened for free trade agreements.
At that fair, Chinese consumers lined up in anticipation of tasting Nicaragua's high-quality beef. "Nepal's Minister of Development, Industry and ** Bermúdez was deeply impressed by the 6th China International Import Expo held a month ago.
Bermúdez said that this was the first time that the Nicaraguan delegation had participated in the CIIE in person, showcasing high-quality Nicaraguan products such as coffee, seafood, beef, peanuts, honey, rum, cigars and chocolate to Chinese consumers.
The picture shows the Nicaragua booth taken at the national exhibition of the 6th CIIE on November 6. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Gao Wei.
Since the resumption of diplomatic relations between China and Nepal, economic and trade cooperation has entered the fast lane of development. In July last year, the two countries signed the "Early Harvest" arrangement of the China-Nepal FTA and launched negotiations on a comprehensive FTA. In May this year, the "Early Harvest" arrangement of the China-Nepal FTA officially came into effect. On August 31, the China-Nepal Free Trade Agreement was officially signed. This is the 21st FTA signed by China, and Nicaragua has become China's 28th FTA.
As the most important achievement of bilateral practical cooperation between China and Nepal since the resumption of diplomatic relations, the China-Nepal FTA has opened a new window to further stimulate the potential of practical cooperation between the two countries. Bermúdez is looking forward to the cooperation between Nepal and China in the field of digital economy, and he was deeply impressed by the convenient electronic payment in China that he saw during his visit to China. In Bermúdez's view, China is an important supporting force to promote the development of Nicaragua's digital economy, and Nepal's cooperation with Chinese companies such as Huawei is especially conducive to the development of small and medium-sized enterprises in Nicaragua.
In 2022, the amount of bilateral ** between China and Nepal reached 7$600 million. China is Nigeria's second largest partner and the second largest importer, and Nepal is an important economic and trade partner of China in Central America, as well as an important partner in the Belt and Road Initiative. Laureano, an advisor on investment, international cooperation and international cooperation, said that under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, Nigeria is working with China to build high-quality infrastructure projects such as airports, ports and roads, strengthen the development of logistics chains and improve channels. "Nepal looks forward to becoming a leading platform and regional center to promote Chinese products to find a larger market in Central America and benefit tens of millions of people in Central America. Laureano said.
From Nicaragua's first accession to the Belt and Road Initiative, to Nicaragua's full support for the implementation of the Global Development Initiative, to the signing of a free trade agreement between China and Nepal in a relatively short period of time, China-Nepal practical cooperation has continued to deepen and solidify. The Ministry of Development, Industry and ** expects that Nicaragua's exports to China will increase by 20% year-on-year this yearWith the entry into force of the China-Nepal Free Trade Agreement, Nepal's exports to China are expected to increase significantly next year.
Pragmatic cooperation benefits people's livelihood.
Over the past two years since the resumption of diplomatic relations, the practical cooperation between China and Nicaragua has brought about a series of gratifying changes in Nicaragua's economic and social development and people's lives. The development of the capital, Managua, is a vivid epitome.
On December 31, 2021, at the resumption ceremony of the Chinese Embassy in Nicaragua held in Managua, Nicaragua, the five-star red flag was raised along with the "March of the Volunteers". Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Xin Yuewei.
In recent years, the million-strong city has been looking to improve its aging public transport system. After the resumption of diplomatic relations between China and Nepal, hundreds of brand-new and environmentally friendly Chinese buses have arrived in Managua, shuttling safely and quickly through the city streets, leading residents into a new era of modern public transportation.
In the eastern part of Managua, hundreds of Nicaraguan affordable housing units built with the assistance of China are under construction. Shi Bo participated in the construction of the project as the country manager of Nicaragua of China State Construction International Latin American Company. He said that this is the first large-scale cooperation project between China and Nepal after the resumption of diplomatic relations, which fully reflects the highly compatible governing philosophy and the purpose of serving the people wholeheartedly between the two countries, and hopes that the project will be completed as soon as possible to benefit the Nicaraguan people.
Managua Mayor Rueda believes that China has rich experience in building smart cities and building economic powerhouses, and China's practices such as optimizing institutional settings, improving infrastructure levels, and expanding small enterprises are of great significance for Nicaraguan cities and national governance.
The resumption of the dividend is also reflected in the field of culture and education. More than 30 Nicaraguan students have gone to China to start a new life of study and become new envoys of bilateral friendly exchanges. According to the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Center for Language Exchange and Cooperation of the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China and the Ministry of Education of Nepal, the two parties will cooperate in the development of Chinese education at the Nigerian Normal College and jointly train local Chinese teachers for Nigerian primary and secondary schools. In September this year, the Confucius Institute at the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua, jointly established by Kunming University of Science and Technology and the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua, was officially awarded, which is the first Confucius Institute jointly established by China and Nicaragua.
Provide opportunities for Nicaraguan students to study in China Xi majors such as agricultural engineering, biotechnology, renewable energy, etc., help local young people enter the frontier fields of science and technology, and then support large-scale projects in NicaraguanPartnering with Chinese companies to drive digital transformation ...... education by configuring wireless networks and online teaching toolsTalking about the achievements of Nepal-China education cooperation, the president of the National Autonomous University of Nepal, Ramona Rodriguez, is very valuable.
On January 31, 2022, the National Palace, a landmark building in the center of Managua, the capital of Nicaragua, was lit up with "China Red". Xinhua News Agency (Photo courtesy of the Chinese Embassy in Nicaragua).
A common destiny promotes development.
At the Museum of the Ancient City of León in western Nicaragua, a few pieces of Chinese porcelain lie quietly in the exhibition hall. Hundreds of years ago, they traveled across the ocean to accompany the ancient city at the foot of the volcano through its extraordinary history.
China and Nepal have a long history of exchanges, and the peoples of the two countries have always cherished friendly feelings for each other. According to Morales, Nigeria's Minister of Culture, although the two countries have differences in terms of territorial size and population, the diverse and colorful cultures of the two countries have a lot in common. "Both the people of Nepal and China are proud of their cultural identity and have a tradition of respecting and caring for their elders. ”
China and Nepal are both developing countries, and the ruling parties of the two countries, the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Sandinista National Liberation Front, have similar experiences and uphold the people-centered philosophy of governance. Over the past two years since the resumption of diplomatic relations, the two countries have had close interaction at the top level in areas such as practical cooperation and exchange of experience in governance.
Through frequent dialogues and exchange of visits, we have found that there are many similarities between Nepal and China in terms of governance models and shared visions. Laureano told reporters.
Laureano believes that Nepal-China relations are "the best example" of building a community with a shared future for mankind. "China has a population of more than 1.4 billion people and a vast territory, while Nicaragua is a small country with a small population and limited resources. But China has always treated us as equals, and we are grateful for that. In Laureano's view, Nigeria and China are committed to building a bilateral relationship based on mutual respect and the pursuit of justice, which will not only promote the development of the two countries and benefit the two peoples, but also contribute to the development of a better and more just world.