KATHMANDU: During his official visit to China, Nepal’s Minister for Forests and Environment, Ain Bahadur Shahi Thakuri, held a meeting with Liu Guohong, Director of China’s National Forestry and Grassland Administration.

On the occasion, Minister Shahi highlighted the historical ties between Nepal and China, emphasizing that Nepal places high importance on its relationship with China as a close friend, development partner, and good neighbor, according to his secretariat.

He stated that regular high-level visits and exchanges between the two countries have further strengthened bilateral relations.

Minister Shahi called for Chinese cooperation in several key areas, including human-wildlife conflict mitigation, ecological restoration, disaster risk reduction, rehabilitation of desertified and marginalized lands, genetic improvement of bamboo and rattan, timber processing, development of bamboo and rattan products, and wildlife farming.

He also informed that Nepal is in the final stages of completing the process to transfer two rhinoceroses to China. Minister Shahi is visiting China to chair the 13th Council Meeting of the International Bamboo and Rattan Organization (INBAR) in Beijing. Nepal currently holds the presidency of INBAR.

As a founding member and current chair of the 13th Council, Minister Shahi expressed Nepal’s willingness to work with all member states to implement the council’s outcomes and explore further opportunities for cooperation.

Established in 1997, INBAR is an intergovernmental development organization that promotes environmentally sustainable development through the use of bamboo and rattan.