September 16: China has started sending goods through the Rasuwagadhi border point in the north, which was closed on the pretext of Covid-19 infection. Likewise, there has been no improvement in the arrival of goods from Tatopani, another major trade point in the north.

Containers laden with Chinese goods started arriving from Rasuwagadhi a day after Chinese People's Congress Standing Committee Chairman Li Zhangsu promised to open the border immediately during his four-day official visit to Nepal from September 12 to 15. During a courtesy meeting with President Bidya Devi Bhandari on Wednesday, Li had said that the checkpoint will be opened immediately.

He informed that he had spoken to the Chinese officials who oversee the trade sector about the closure of the border and that the message had reached President Xi Jinping.

Rasuwagadhi crossing was closed on July 21. China has closed the border because of the rise in coronavirus cases in Tibet.

According to the local traders, around 400 containers of imported goods were stopped across the border in Tibet due to the closure of the border.

According to the Nepal Trans Himalayan Border Commerce Association, after China closed the border, the containers were stopped at Kerung across Rasuwagadhi and Khasa across Tatopani. 

Kumar Karki, president of the Nepal National Business Federation, said that the traders had been bearing huge losses due to their goods being stuck across the border.

The goods started arriving from the Rasuwagadhi at 9 am on Thursday. According to the Chief District Officer of Rasuwa, Navraj Jaisi, seven large Chinese containers came to Nepal carrying goods in the morning in the first phase.

Before the Chinese cargo container entered Nepal from the Friendshihp Bridge, the security personnel working in the border area sprayed disinfectants on the path of the container.

According to the traders, materials worth about Rs 2.5 billion brought from China for Dashain were stuck in Kerung.

Concerned officials say that it is difficult to say whether the Tatopani checkpoint is open or not. According to Narad Gautam, head of Tatopani dry port customs office, limited number of cargo containers came to Nepal from this point on Thursday just like in previous days.