NTNC hosted H.E. Mr. Chen Song, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Nepal, on October 09, at its central office, where an introductory meeting was held.
Dr. Krishna Prasad Oli, Chairperson of NTNC, chaired the meeting, accompanied by the NTNC Member Secretary Mr. Sharad Chandra Adhikari and the senior management team.
The meeting featured discussions on wide areas of potential engagement, from opportunities for pioneering conservation projects collaboratively in the future, to strengthening Nepal-China friendship through wildlife promotion and knowledge partnership, tourism, collaborative research and joint project development.
Ambassador Song spoke about the increasing need for prioritizing biodiversity conservation actions globally, and the potential of Nepal and China to uniquely collaborate and contribute to this space. The ambassador extended his gratitude for the two pairs of rhinos that Nepal had gifted China in 2018, whereupon he acknowledged the important role of NTNC in supporting the Government of Nepal. He praised Nepal’s protected areas as hosting some of the top trekking destinations in the world.
NTNC Chairperson Dr. Oli, shared on opportunities for Nepal to tap into the knowledge and green development capacities of China. He spoke about the “big potentials” to devise mutually beneficial approaches through collaborative conservation programming between Nepal and China, covering, high mountain ecology conservation, climate change impacts, molecular science, clean energy, medicinal herbs and traditional knowledge, forest management, to investing in innovative nature-based solutions.
Member Secretary Mr. Adhiarki acknowledged the continued support of the Chinese government, briefing that more than 90 employees from NTNC had benefitted from the training, capacity building and exposure visits facilitated by the Chinese Embassy in Nepal, besides China’s academic exchanges. An MoU in the works between NTNC and the Chinese Academy of Sciences was also made known.
Director Dr. Naresh Subedi presented about NTNC’s mandate of supporting the Government of Nepal in its protected area and wildlife management, enhancing the nation’s science and technical capacities, and expanding partnerships and investments for conservation and development.
Ambassador Song said that he took his visit to NTNC as being a “very meaningful one,” and potentially the beginning of expanding the important multifaceted relations between China and Nepal into the space of nature conservation cooperation.
A special tour of the NTNC central office facility, which was built through the support of Chinese government, was also organized for the ambassador, this being followed by a guided tour of the NTNC-managed Central Zoo in Jawalakhel, whose management the ambassador notably appreciated.
