Rabi Lamichhane Meets Chinese Ambassador Zhang Maoming, Talks Focus on Bhote Koshi Disaster and Chinese Assistance
Dragon Media Correspondent
Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Chair Rabi Lamichhane and Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Zhang Maoming have held talks at Lamichhane’s residence in Budhanilkantha. The meeting focused on the situation following the Bhote Koshi floods, search and rescue operations, relief, disaster early-warning systems and Chinese support for reconstruction.
According to RSP spokesperson Jagdish Kharel, Ambassador Zhang expressed sorrow over the heavy loss of life and property caused by the Bhote Koshi disaster and said China would continue to stand with Nepal from search and rescue through rehabilitation and reconstruction. He said China was ready to provide assistance according to Nepal’s needs.
Zhang also briefed Lamichhane on Chinese assistance provided after the disaster, including rescue specialists, tunnel rescue personnel, equipment and DNA experts. China has also provided satellite and other imagery, hydrological and meteorological information, as well as relief supplies to Nepal.
Lamichhane thanked China for its support during the disaster and said Chinese financial and technical assistance could play an important role in strengthening Nepal’s disaster risk reduction and management capacity. He particularly called for closer cooperation in cross-border hydrological and meteorological information sharing and more effective coordination of early-warning systems.
Following the Bhote Koshi-Trishuli disaster, China has provided Nepal with various forms of assistance, including financial support, relief materials and technical personnel. The Chinese government has provided $2 million in emergency assistance, while the Red Cross Society of China has contributed an additional $200,000 to the Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund. Two Chinese Y-20 aircraft also transported around 50 tonnes of relief supplies and four tunnel rescue specialists to Kathmandu.
In recent days, the Chinese Embassy has also held discussions with the Nepal government and United Nations representatives on improving hydrological and meteorological information sharing, disaster warning systems and reconstruction cooperation in Himalayan areas. Against this background, the Lamichhane-Zhang meeting appears to have focused not only on immediate relief but also on longer-term disaster risk reduction and cross-border coordination.
Neither side has publicly released detailed information on whether other political or bilateral issues were discussed. Based on the information made public so far, the talks mainly centered on the Bhote Koshi disaster, Chinese assistance, early-warning systems and reconstruction cooperation.
