Chinese Ambassador Visits Lo Manthang with Seven-Member Delegation to Assess Korala Border Crossing

Dragon Media News Desk

Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Zhang Maoming arrived in Lo Manthang, Upper Mustang, on Saturday through the Korala border crossing with a seven-member delegation. Five members of the team are Chinese nationals. The delegation is on a three-day visit and is scheduled to return to China through Korala.

Mustang Chief District Officer Ajita Sharma confirmed the ambassador’s arrival through the border crossing, but said she had not received detailed information about the visit.

Lo Manthang Rural Municipality Chair Tasi Norbu Gurung said the ambassador had come to assess conditions at the Korala crossing. Calls to reopen the crossing have grown as the Bhotekoshi floods disrupted the Rasuwagadhi route and the Tatopani crossing has remained closed for an extended period. Against this backdrop, the visit is being viewed as a sign of interest in Korala’s potential as an alternative trade route.

The report also said Mustang Customs had been collecting about 300 million rupees in daily revenue since the Rasuwagadhi and Tatopani crossings were closed.