Government Work Report: Diplomats' views

Leela Mani Paudyal, Nepal's ambassador to China

The Government Work Report highlights the achievements made and the challenges China faced in 2018. It further identifies the problems China faces now and proposes policies and measures to improve governance.

The government's primary focus is on ensuring continued quality growth of the economy, reducing the tax burden on small enterprises and reducing air pollution, and investing in infrastructure. The government plans to keep the overall macroeconomic indicators within an appropriate range.

Further steps have been announced to create more employment and ensure a stable financial sector, along with proposed measures in foreign trade, currency exchange mechanism, as well as foreign and domestic investment.

Emphasis is placed on promoting investment by opening up more sectors for equity investment, improving IPR regime, encouraging innovation and technological development.

Major reforms have been announced to boost market and investors' confidence. The policy measures and programs announced today are considered as key drivers for continued economic growth of China. China's economic development is vitally important for the healthy development of world economy and for Nepal it is more so as the economies of Nepal and China get increasingly inter-connected.

Moreover, China's economic policies are more and more relevant for Nepal as we pursue our path of economic development in a faster pace by further strengthening economic ties with China. We are seeking expanded cooperation in investment, connectivity (more specifically cross-border transport infrastructures including railways), tourism, technology transfer, industrial development, agricultural development and development of digital technology, and we foresee greater investments, tourism and trade between Nepal and China in the year ahead.

Therefore, China's continued growth, and stable socio-economic development have paramount importance for Nepal. I wish a complete success in their endeavor of developing China a moderately prosperous society in all respect by 2021.