KATHMANDU: In yet another instance of infidelity from the Chinese side to Nepali traders, Nepalese Pashmina traders have been betrayed by not sticking to the agreement signed during the visit of Prime Minister K P Oli to China in 2018.
An MoU was signed between Nepal Pashmina Industries Association and CIC Mutual Trade Platform during the visit in which China was supposed to import between 2,00,000 to 5,00,000 Pashmina pieces from Nepal annually.
It was also agreed that the pieces of Pashmina to be exported by Nepali traders would not be limited to the figures being mentioned in the MoU.
However, even after two years of the MoU, China has not imported or ordered a single piece of Pashmina of Nepal.
“This is irresponsible on the part of the Chinese side,” said a Pashmina trader on condition of anonymity.
This indecisiveness has infuriated the Nepali Pashmina traders saying that the understanding has been hollow until today.
It should also be noted that China’s decision — during the visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to Nepal on September 8-10 — to provide around 5,000 tents to Nepal as part of its Emergency Shelter Project was widely criticized by a section of the society.
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