KATHMANDU, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- Experts from Nepal and China have stressed on combined efforts of China, Nepal and India to promote the Belt and Road Initiative, saying the China-proposed initiative can play a crucial role for the development of the entire South Asia region.
Experts from the two countries made such remarks during a two-day conference organized jointly by Xinhua news agency's Kathmandu bureau and Hebei University of Economics and Business of China, which concluded on Wednesday.
Professor Li Tao, who is the executive deputy director at the Institute of South Asian Studies, Sichuan University, said the Belt and Road Initiative has received affirmative response from partner states including Nepal.
"Both China and South Asian countries (Nepal included) are developing countries. They have reached a consensus in developing economy so as to improve livelihood of its citizens."
Nepal's peaceful co-existence and non-alignment policy is in line with China's independent foreign policy of peace, Li said.
The rise of Asia is a major development in 21st century, she said.
Wang Yiwei, professor at the School of International Studies, Renmin University of China, said the Belt and Road Initiative will help other nations achieve their dreams so that prosperity is shared by all.
"Nepal is an ancient civilization-state and deserves such kind of future of common revival of civilizations by joining Belt and Road Initiative," he said.
The Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, proposed by China in 2013, aim to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient Silk Road trade routes.
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