September 7: Satellite and other observation data shared by China are playing a strong role in Nepal’s ongoing rescue operations following devastating landslides. The data are also helping authorities identify potential subsequent risks and prevent further damage, Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal has said.
In a recent exclusive interview with Xinhua News Agency, Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal said China has been providing near-real-time information to help Nepal remain alert to potential disasters in the future.
Noting that China expressed solidarity and support for Nepal at various levels immediately after the disaster, he said the Chinese side responded very positively to requests for relief supplies and technical assistance according to Nepal’s needs. He expressed profound gratitude, on behalf of the Government and people of Nepal, for the highly active support extended by the Chinese government at this critical moment.
The Foreign Minister also expressed gratitude to the Chinese authorities for safely identifying hundreds of Nepali citizens who were in China for trade or tourism purposes and arranging appropriate accommodation and services for them. Similarly, he said Nepal is prepared to assist affected Chinese citizens who are currently within Nepal’s territory.
He further expressed hope that Nepal and China would jointly make a strong appeal to the international community to address the challenges posed by rising temperatures and climate change and to protect their shared ecosystems. Emphasizing that “the Himalayan ecosystem is our common future,” he stressed the need to further strengthen regional and global cooperation to preserve this heritage.
Source: Shubho, Nahar, CGTN.