Trans-Himalaya Co-Op: Economic forum addresses collaboration in Himalayan region

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02:29

The first Trans-Himalaya economic cooperation forum has put deeper collaboration in the economy and tourism sectors in the spotlight. CGTN's Wang Mengzhen has this report from China's Tibet Autonomous Region.

Nyingchi, located on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, is a city with more than half of its area covered with forests. A leading eco-tourism model, it was chosen to host the very first trans-Himalayan economic cooperation forum.

Located along the Himalaya mountain range, Nepal and Pakistan are among the firm supporters of the new cooperation mode, especially in the financial and tourism endeavors.

ANIL KESHARY SHAH, CEO NABIL BANK "Within three months, we will have 10 thousand UnionPay merchants all over Nepal, wherever the Chinese tourists go, not only in Katmandu. So I'd like to tell everyone who wants to visit Nepal: the next time you come, you don't need to bring cash. Just bring your phone and you can pay through QR code just like here."

GHULAM UMER KAZI, OFFICER PAKISTAN STANDARD & QUALITY CONTROL AUTHORITY "I feel surprised to see this here. We also have some mountain areas in Pakistan, but they are not developed due to the unavailability of infrastructure. So not many people visit. This place (Nyingchi) is very important to develop tourism not only in this region but also to the whole South Asian countries."

In a broader sense, the trans-Himalayan area, also known as the Third Pole of the world, includes a total of 27 countries and regions including China, Nepal, India and Pakistan.

WANG MENGZHEN NYINGCHI "The Himalayan region covers half the world's population. With its abundant water and energy resources, the region contributes to nearly one-third of the world's economy."

Under the Belt and Road framework, experts are pinning their hopes on the future of regional cooperation, particularly in terms of infrastructure-building. But barriers still exist, and not just geographically.

YANG DAN, VICE PRESIDENT TIBET UNIVERSITY "Looking ahead, we need to enhance more strategic mutual trust, especially between China and India. Also, we need to have more people to people exchanges."

Tibet, a gateway to South Asia, will continue to play a unique role in linking the trans-Himalaya region. And this in turn will boost the development of China's western region. WMZ, Nyingchi, Tibet Autonomous Region.