KATHMANDU, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) on Friday called for increased Chinese investment in the country's tourism, agriculture, energy and other infrastructure sectors.
During a meeting with a six-member delegation from China's Yunnan Province, the Nepal's private sector body told the Chinese side that Nepal was heading towards political stability following the promulgation of a new constitution last year and the investment climate in the Himalayan nation has been improving.
FNCCI Vice President Dinesh Shrestha said Nepal now needs more investment and technology transfer from China in the areas of energy, tourism and infrastructure while reminding the Chinese officials that Nepalese entrepreneurs have been closely working with their peers from Yunnan province in recent years.
Nepalese business leaders also mentioned importance of the Chinese investment in tourism given the growing tourist arrivals from China.
Although Chinese tourist arrivals in Nepal plunged by 28 percent in the first half of 2016 following last year's deadly earthquake, China has continued to remain the second largest source of foreign tourists after India.
Yang Hui, deputy director general at the Department of Commerce of Yunnan, said he would work toward encouraging entrepreneurs from the southwest Chinese province to invest in Nepal.
In the last 2015-2016 fiscal year that ended in mid-July, China topped the chart in making foreign direct investment (FDI) to Nepal, pledging more than one-third of total FDI commitments the country received. Enditem
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