BEIJING, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Aviation cooperation between China and Nepal has promoted economic growth and contributed to the improvement of people’s livelihood in the region, thus becoming a new highlight of the two countries' co-construction under the Belt and Road Initiative.
At present, Chinese enterprises has constructed and upgraded three airports in Nepal. The number of weekly passenger flights between China and Nepal has increased to 49, opening up broad prospects for the interconnection and intercommunication of the two countries. Meanwhile, six Chinese-made aircraft have been in service for five years in Nepal, with a total flight time of more than 7,600 hours.
Nepal Airlines Corporation, Nepal’s only state-owned airline, as part of its cooperation with Aviation Industry Corporation of China, Ltd. (AVIC). This cooperation has helped Nepal to meet the needs of passengers and contributed to the development of the national economy, commented Sanjiv Gautam, director general of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal.
Himalaya Airlines, founded by Tibet Airlines in August 2014 with Nepal’s Yeti World Investment, consists China's largest investment project in Nepal's civil aviation industry and the first joint venture airline in Nepal. With inexpensive fare, the airline has become the best choice among Nepalese people who work overseas.
In 2018, Himalayan Airlines has carried more than 150,000 passengers, of which about 130,000 were Nepal-originated overseas laborers, and laborers sent out by the airline accounted for about 25 percent of the country's total labor output.
In addition, Chinese enterprises have won a number of airport project contracts in Nepal, including the upgrade of Tribhuvan International Airport in Nepalese capital Kathmandu, the Gautam Buddha International Airport and the Pokhara Regional International Airport.
China will continue to promote aviation cooperation with Nepal, by planning and building a modern hangar for Nepal Airlines Corporation, helping the company improve operation capabilities of Chinese-made aircraft, as well as gain more influence worldwide. (Edited by Li Wenxin, liwenxin@xinhua.org)
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