Special unit at commerce ministry to facilitate Nepal-China trade

The government has set up a technical unit, a special cell, at the Ministry of Commerce and Supplies (MoCS) in a bid to promptly address technical problems, concerns and other confusions faced by the traders doing business with China.
The unit has been formed after Nepal-Tibet Trade Facilitation Committee (NTTFC) -- an inter-governmental special mechanism between Nepal and China -- decided to set up the unit in the commerce ministries of both the countries to facilitate direct communications and prompt solution to technical problems.
“The cell has been developed to resolve problems that traders face from day to day,” Naindra Prasad Upadhyaya, joint secretary at MoCS told Republica. “We have already informed the Chinese government about its establishment and hope to receive a positive news from them as well.”
Going by the cell´s operation guidelines, traders involved in exports and imports from China can directly file their complaints at the cell if they face any problems.
The officials deputed at the cell are entrusted to promptly communicate their problems to the Chinese authority in Nepal as well as officials of similar cell in the Chinese commerce ministry and suggest solutions to resolve them.
The officials had been strongly raising this issue mainly as more Nepali traders were filing complaints at the ministry in recent years over various problems at the customs due to language barrier, lack of proper disclosure of tariff and procedures, among others.
Upadhyaya, who is also the focal person of the unit, said that the unit will stay in close touch with the traders and coordinate with the Chinese government agencies to solve problems.
However, officials said that the success of the cell will depend on how promptly the concerned Chinese officials respond to Nepal´s queries and explanations. “Given the type of bureaucracy and procedures China follows, we will have to wait for the time being to be sure it will deliver the desired result,” said a source.
If the unit did work in the manner Nepali traders wish, they believe it will greatly facilitate and ease trade between the two countries, mainly exports. Data of Trade and Export Promotion Center (TEPC) shows, Nepal suffered trade deficit of Rs 46 billion with China in 2010/122.