Kathmandu, March 17
After being able to gradually reduce the spread of coronavirus infection in China, where the virus originated, the Beijing government has asked Nepal if it needs any support from the northern neighbour.
Nepal had one coronavirus case, it is already recovered now. However, the country is at a higher risk as it borders China and India, where the number of infected persons is growing.
In this context, the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu wrote a letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs asking it if needed anything from China, a source in the ministry reveals. According to the source, the letter reads, “Does Nepal want any support and aid from China? For example, in energy? Do we need to send a medical team with masks and other medical supplies? We are ready anytime.”
Beijing has said that it is eager to send Chinese tourists to Nepal once the country is free from coronavirus fears, assuring it would also expedite the infrastructure development projects supported by China.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Ishwar Pokharel, who heads the high-level coronavirus prevention and control committee of the government, says both India and China have assured needful support to Nepal whenever needed.
A few days ago, Chinese Foreign Affairs Minister Wang Yi had telephoned his Nepali counterpart Pradeep Kumar Gyawali and assured that China was ready to support Nepal whenever needed. When China was fighting with the crisis, the government of Nepal had gifted 100,000 masks as a gesture of its solidarity in the fight.
