Kathmandu, Sept 13: Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Zhang Maoming has called for greater cooperation between Nepal and China to tackle growing climate-related risks and natural disasters in the Himalayan region.
Speaking at the Kathmandu Dialogue in Kathmandu on Saturday, Zhang said Nepal and China share the same Himalayan ecosystem, and therefore both countries face the consequences of floods, landslides and other natural disasters in the region.
Climate change risks are not confined within national borders, he said, stressing the need for regional and cross-border cooperation in disaster management.
Quoting Chinese President Xi Jinping, Zhang said Nepal and China should strengthen water and weather monitoring systems to reduce disaster risks in the Himalayas. He called for prioritising early warning systems, advanced technology and joint emergency rescue exercises.
China’s assistance to Nepal during disasters demonstrates the importance of cooperation between the two countries, he said.
Zhang said China provided Nepal with $2.4 million in cash assistance following the floods and landslides of August 26. China also provided relief supplies including drones, Bailey bridges, DNA testing equipment and rescue boats.
He said China had sent 24 experts to Nepal with expertise in tunnel rescue, DNA identification and forensic identification.
With climate change expected to intensify risks in the Himalayan region, Zhang stressed the need to strengthen preparedness, information sharing and rescue capacity.
He said Nepal and China should treat Himalayan disasters as a shared challenge and expand cooperation in green development, clean energy, environmental protection and disaster-resilient infrastructure.
“No country can remain completely safe from environmental risks. No country can tackle climate change alone,” he said.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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