A historic trading route between China and India through Tibet's Nathu La Pass, which has been closed
for 44 years due to border conflicts, will reopen on
Thursday.
The Nathu La Pass, sitting 4,545 meters above sea level, was
once a pivotal point on the ancient Silk Road.
Located 460 kilometers from Tibet's regional capital Lhasa and
550 kilometers from the Indian coastal city of Calcutta the pass
was an important trade passage between China and India but closed
in 1962 amid border disputes.
In line with minutes of negotiations signed between Chinese and
Indian officials in Lhasa last month, the two countries will reopen
the trade route Thursday with two border trade markets at
Renqinggang in Tibet and Changgu in India.
A soldier of the Chinese
People's Liberation Army and an Indian soldier (L) stand guard at
the Nathu La Pass on the border between China and India July 5,
2006.
Renqinggang market is 16 kilometers northeast of the Nathu La
Pass. It will open from Monday through Thursday between June 1 and
September 30 annually with business hours from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm,
said officials in Yadong County of Xigaze Prefecture where the
market is located.
The reopening of the Pass is expected to give a major boost to
bilateral trade between the world's two most populous nations. It
totaled US$18.7 billion in 2005 and is expected to top US$20
billion this year.
The photo taken on July 5,
2006 shows the gates and pavilions for the reopening ceremony of
the China-India trade route at Nathu La Pass on the
border.
"The reopening of border trade will help end economic isolation
in this area and play a key role in boosting the market economy
there," said Hao Peng, vice chairman of Tibet Autonomous
Region.
The move is also helpful to improving relations between the two
countries, said Dr. Christy Fernandez, additional secretary of the
Indian Department of Commerce.
With the reopening of the trade route and Saturday's launch of
the Qinghai-Tibet Railway experts say the two
countries will be able to revive the ancient Silk Road by shipping
goods from China's inland areas to India and other parts of South
Asia via Tibet.
(Xinhua News Agency July 6, 2006)
