Sindhupalchowk, September 1
The Chinese government has informed Nepal that Zhangmu port, near Tatopani along the Nepal-China border, has been closed indefinitely.
According to Tul Bahadur Pandey, a customs officer at the Tatopani Customs Office, the Chinese side informed Nepali authorities of the closure through an email, citing the potential risk of a disaster. “We have received a brief email from the Chinese authorities regarding the closure of the port,” Pandey said. According to him, the email stated: “We have shut Zhangmu port for a while. We will inform you in another email when we reopen it.”
China is believed to have taken the decision amid concerns over possible river-related disasters following the recent floods in the Bhotekoshi River. It has been learned that the Chinese side has already relocated its administrative staff to higher and safer areas. A few days earlier, China had stopped sending containers until September 3, citing construction work in Khasa. Cargo transportation has also been suspended.
The Tatopani border point had been considered an alternative trade route following the devastation of the Rasuwagadhi customs point in the recent floods. The closure of Zhangmu port has further disrupted trade between Nepal and China. The local business community believes that the closure of Zhangmu port, located in Nyalam County of Tibet, could affect supplies to Nepal, particularly with the Dashain and Tihar festivals approaching.
Import and export through the Tatopani border point had remained largely suspended for around 40 days following landslides on the Nepali side on June 25, bringing cross-border supplies to a near standstill. The landslides damaged the road at several locations along the 26-kilometre Bahrabise-Kodari section of the Araniko Highway. The road was temporarily reopened after 40 days following repair work by a team deployed by the Department of Roads.
After the reopening, eight containers entered Nepal through Tatopani on August 28. However, following the closure of Zhangmu port, cargo containers bound for Nepal have reportedly been stranded in Nyalam.
