BRI offers development opportunities for many countries: Nepal's parliament speaker

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Nepalese students consult with exhibitors during the Second Belt and Road Nepal China Education Fair held in Kathmandu, Nepal, April 21, 2019. The fair, jointly organized by the Teachers Association of Chinese Language and the Study China Center, Nepal, seeks to explore cooperation between the two countries in academic sector. (Xinhua/Sunil Sharma)

KATHMANDU, April 21 (Xinhua) -- The China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) offers immense development opportunities for Nepal and many other countries, Krishna Bahadur Mahara, speaker of the House of Representatives of Nepal, said on Sunday.

Inaugurating the second edition of three-day Belt and Road Nepal China Education Fair in the Nepali capital, Mahara said it's an opportunity and pride for Nepal to participate in BRI cooperation.

Proposed by China in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, aiming at building a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient trade routes of Silk Road.

"Under the initiative, there are many possibilities of cooperation in connectivity, physical infrastructures, energy, tourism and education among others," Mahara said.

China's miraculous development has given a new message to the world, the parliament speaker said, noting that the Himalayan country can learn a lot from the development.

With regard to education in particular, the speaker called for cooperation between universities of the two countries to produce skilled manpower who can work for the welfare of both countries.

"Chinese engineering education is regarded as one of the best in the world. Nepal can gain huge benefits from the progress and development achieved by China in technical education sector," Mahara said in his address.

The fair, jointly organized by the Teachers Association of Chinese Language and the Study China Center, Nepal, seeks to explore cooperation between the two countries in academic sector.

According to the organizers, over half a dozen Chinese universities including Beijing Normal University, Shandong University, Qufu Normal University, Zhejiang Normal University among others, have participated in the fair.

Besides, the event will host separate interaction programs between Chinese and Nepali universities, colleges, scholars and students on education cooperation on Monday and Tuesday.