Nepal to receive four Chinese passenger aircrafts

Kathmandu: The Nepal government is to receive four Chinese passenger aircraft in accordance with the bilateral agreement between Beijing and Kathmandu, an official said on Wednesday.

Under the bilateral deal signed between state-owned Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) and AVIC International, the state-owned Chinese plane manufacturing company, Kathmandu is to purchase six aircraft from the company, Xinhua quoted Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Ananda Prasad Pokharel as saying.

Nepal has already purchased two aircraft MA60 and Y-12e. The remaining four passenger planes are to be received by the Nepal government soon.

The government has already made payment for manufacturing the planes through the China Exim Bank, the minister said.

Pokharel reaffirmed the commitments of the Nepalese government to purchase the Chinese planes under the agreement between the NAC and AVIC International signed on November 29, 2012.

Pokharel said China's assistance for the construction of Pokhara Regional International Airport is one of the important aspect of bilateral cooperation in aviation sector.

Chinese Ambassador Wu Chuntai said the Chinese leadership has taken the "good neighbourhood policy" focusing on sharing technology, experiences and making investment in neighbourhood.

Wu said cooperation between the AVIC International and NAC was a good example of the Chinese policy towards Nepal.

Nepal Airlines managing director Sugat Ratna Kansakar said the NAC has limited planes to fly both domestic and international flights so it decided to purchase the Chinese planes for domestic flights.

He added that the NAC also plans to start flights to China's major cities, including Guangzhou, Shanghai and Kunming, in the near future as it only has a service to Hong Kong.

The AVIC International vice-president Xu Bo said the company was ready to provide all necessary assistance to the Nepal Airlines Corporation for smooth operation of the aircraft. (IANS)