Kathmandu, October 5: Chinese Ambassador Zhang Maoming has pledged that China will provide necessary support to make the Korala border point more efficient, organised and secure.
Ambassador Maoming, who entered Mustang from Lhasa, Tibet, on Saturday, expressed China’s commitment to provide full support to streamline and secure trade, transit and movement through the Korala border point.
As major Nepali festivals approach, imports and exports with China have been directly affected after the Beni–Jomsom–Korala section of the Kali Gandaki Corridor, a major north-south trade route, was disrupted by floods, landslides and erosion along the Kali Gandaki River.
To assess the situation on the ground, Ambassador Maoming led a seven-member team from the Korala border point to Jomsom, the district headquarters. He said the Chinese government would provide all necessary forms of support to make the border point more effective.
Ambassador Maoming inspected immigration and customs offices as well as various other government offices in Upper Mustang and gathered information about the situation there.
During his visit to the Customs Office, Chinese officials showed particular interest in how the Korala border point could be operated in a more organised manner, said Customs Chief Bidur Chudal. He said Chinese officials inquired whether the Korala Customs Office could operate around the clock throughout the year, as well as about the challenges involved and the infrastructure required for such operation.
During a meeting on Sunday with Chief District Officer Ajita Sharma and members of the District Security Committee, Ambassador Maoming expressed concern about providing assistance to ensure that Chinese goods stranded on the road due to floods and landslides could be transported smoothly to their destinations.
“He came for an on-site inspection to understand the condition of the border point. We discussed issues related to the border point. He expressed interest in the necessary support from the Chinese side to facilitate its operation,” Chief District Officer Sharma said.
According to CDO Sharma, Ambassador Maoming said the Chinese side was committed to providing necessary support sought by the Nepali government for activities such as cross-border coordination meetings and joint patrols among security officials to prevent illegal activities at the border, as well as for operating the Korala border point throughout the year.
The team led by Ambassador Maoming is scheduled to return to Lhasa via Korala from Lomanthang on Monday morning.
A security official who attended the meeting said the Chinese team was concerned about the impact on imports and exports after the road linking the Kali Gandaki Corridor with the Korala border point was blocked by rainfall from October 4 to 8, at a time when the Rasuwagadhi and Tatopani border points had been completely closed following severe flooding in the Bhotekoshi River on August 26.
With Dashain, Tihar and Chhath approaching, more than 100 containers carrying electric vehicles, clothing, electrical goods and other products imported through the Korala border point have been stranded in the customs area. The security official said the Chinese side appeared particularly concerned about reopening the road to facilitate transportation of the stranded goods.
Following the coordination meeting, the seven-member Chinese delegation led by Ambassador Maoming visited the Muktinath Temple before returning to Lomanthang. After the delegation returns to Tibet through the Korala border point on Monday, some decisions are expected regarding the operation and management of the border point.
After Tibet was incorporated into China in the 1960s, Tibetan Khampas launched an armed rebellion using Nepali territory, prompting tighter restrictions on movement through the Korala border point from 1975. The Korala border point was formally inaugurated amid a grand ceremony on November 13, 2023. Since it began commercial operations on September 15, 2025, China has been giving priority to the Korala border point.
The Kali Gandaki Corridor, a national pride project, connects the Korala border point on the Chinese border through Mustang, Myagdi, Baglung, Gulmi, Palpa, Syangja and Nawalparasi to the Triveni border point on the Indian border. The corridor has a total length of 435 kilometres.
The Korala border point is regarded as one of the shortest overland routes connecting China with India.
(Gorkhapatra Daily)
Login to add a comment