China-Nepal border port to resume cargo service

The port of Zham on the China-Nepal border will resume its cargo service on Wednesday, four years after it was closed due to a massive earthquake which killed thousands in the South Asian country, officials said on Tuesday.

Tashi Gyatso, a spokesperson of the Tibetan regional government, said efforts had been made on geological disaster prevention and control, power supply and reconstruction of roads, water conservancy, joint inspection and cross-border facilities to meet the conditions for the resumption of cargo services.

China and Nepal will hold a reopening ceremony on Wednesday, according to Xinhua news agency.

Zham port, as the most important highway port on the border of China and Nepal, cleared more than 90 per cent of trade between the two countries before the earthquake that devastated Nepal and some border areas in Tibet on April 25, 2015.

The earthquake caused severe damage to the Zham port, roads, bridges and other facilities, forcing the port to close.

Yang Guoliang, Deputy Head of the Tibetan regional commerce department, said only the cargo service would be resumed after scientific assessment. For safety reasons, the passing of personnel through the port will be halted until further notice, the report said.

--IANS

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