Distance narrows between China and South Asia
BY ZHENG HAONING
In recent years, because of the rapid development of Chinas national power, and the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative, China and South Asian countries have been increasingly conducting exchanges and cooperative endeavours. Such actions are narrowing the distance between the two regions.
When our reporters conducted interviews in Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, the local people not only praised China, but also said they regard China as a real friend from the bottom of their hearts.
China is our real friend
When conducting interviews in the three countries, our reporters find that most of the projects funded or built by China are large-scale projects meant to affect peoples livelihoods. From highways to stadiums to power stations, these projects are first-class and iconic in terms of both quality and follow-up services. Such mega-works have improved the living standards of local people and are widely approved of.
In the Nepalese capital of Kathmandu, the citys only ring road was built in the 1970s by China. Today, the road has been repaired and broadened by Chinese engineering firms and is bustling with heavy traffic every day.
Padma Bridge, the largest ongoing project in Bangladesh, is often called the Bridge of Dreams by local people. Both a highway and railway bridge built by a Chinese company, it will run for a total length of ten kilometres. Upon completion, it will largely replace the ferry boats that today connect the capital city Dhaka to southwest Bangladesh.
Currently, China is Nepals second largest trading partner, and the largest trading partner of both Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. These neighbouring countries are Chinas primary partners in the Belt and Road. They are also the first beneficiaries of the Belt and Road Initiative. Many people are full of expectations when they talk about the Coxs Bazar Railway in Bangladesh or the port city in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Yubaraj Sangroula, a noted Nepalese scholar and professor at the Kathmandu School of Law, recently said, China is sincerely helping us and is really our good friend. Our reporters are surprised at the popularity of WeChat among the elites of these countries. During interviews, many officials, experts and scholars became WeChat friends with our reporters.
Hoping to learn Chinese technology and concepts
Many experts believe that South Asian countries have higher expectations for working with China than they do with India. These countries hope to make use of Chinas capital reserves, technological know-how and huge markets to take control of their own development. For example, China is ahead of India in terms of high-speed railway technology by at least 20 years.
In addition to bilateral trade opportunities and various cooperative economic projects, many experts and officials from the three countries are even keener to strengthen people-to-people exchanges with China. I think Nepal, particularly, needs to conduct railway technology exchanges with Tsinghua, Peking and other top Chinese universities. I believe such exchanges will facilitate future China-Nepal railway projects, said Surya Acharya, a Nepalese railroad engineering expert.
In Sri Lanka, Attanayake told our reporters that she watched a lot of television when she was studying in Wuhan, China, but it is pity that she can seldom watch them at home now.
According to Shahriar Zarman Schuman, Secretary-General of the Bangladesh-China Peoples Friendship Association, only through deepening people-to-people exchanges will the two countries advance in all areas. BY ZHENG HAONING
(This story was originally published by Xinhua and is abridged for use here.)
