In the honour of People's Republic of China's Ambassador to Nepal Yang Houlan, Pokhara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) had organized a welcome program in the PCCI premisses on 21 July 2011.

The program chaired by president of PCCI Mr Krishna Mohan shrestha. Speaking on the occasion Mr. Shrestha had presented about the brief introduction of Pokhara City and Pokhara Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He had also said about the Nepal China relationship and major supports of Chinese government to Nepal in brief.

Mr. Shrestha expected Chinese assistance for construction of a Pokhara Exhibition Center, the regional international airport, a ring road, foot track at the bank of fewa lake, modernization of Pokhara stadium, development of Panchase and among others.

Speaking on the occasion H.E. Houlan had expressed keen interest to promote tourism in Nepal and has committed to make efforts for bringing in as many Chinese tourists as possible in Pokhara, apart from supporting development of tourism related infrastructure. he had also said that Chinese people were eager to visit Pokhara.

He said he would talk with the authority concerned to bring in as many Chinese tourists as possible in the lake city. Houlan also promised to extend maximum support to develop additional tourism infrastructure in the city.

“I met a number of Chinese tourists during my two day visit to Pokhara,” expressing surprise over presence of a large number of Chinese tourists at this time, which is regarded as off season.

Houlan said Pokhara desperately needs an airport that can handle international flights. He also expressed commitment to make all possible efforts for the development of international airport in the city.

“My assessment is that an international airport should be built in Pokhara soon,” Houlan said, adding that the sole international airport (Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu) of the country was small and congested. New airport that can directly link Pokhara with major international cities will better serve the local tourism, he added.

Houlan also said that China was eager to support the development of hydropower and construction of highways and other infrastructure.

“Nepal has huge tourism potential. But the country needs to build necessary tourism infrastructure to effectively tap this potential,” he said, adding that Nepal and China should hold talks to garner bilateral support in this connection.

The Chinese envoy further added that Nepal should restore peace and ensure political stability in the country to attract more Chinese investment.

During the interaction, entrepreneurs had enquired about financial support that China was providing to Nepal to develop airport in Pokhara.

The government has placed development of international airport in Pokhara in its top priority and acquired 3,106 ropanis (158 hectares) of land in 1976 for the purpose.

Even though it dropped the priority in later years, local tourism entrepreneurs have been demanding the government to continue with the program