The 11th meeting of Nepal-China Inter-Governmental Economic and Trade Committee (IETC) is going to be held in Beijing, China from Wednesday, December 17.

Spokesperson at the Ministry of Finance, Krishna Prasad Devkota, told RSS that the 11th meeting will review the meeting held in Kathmandu seven years ago. It will also focus on exploring areas for expansion of bilateral economic and trade relations in the next fiscal year, he added.

Devkota said a delegation under the leadership of Finance Secretary Suman Prasad Sharma will raise the issues regarding decreasing trade deficit with China, increasing export, attracting Chinese investment in different sectors of development construction, mutual benefit and increasing assistance in the sector of economic prosperity of the country from Beijing with high priority.

Discussions will be held among high-officials for the easy and smooth access of Nepali products in Chinese markets, finding out methods for ending problems surfaced among Chinese construction companies and labourers in projects operated in Nepal, it is learnt.

The two-day meeting also expects increase in Chinese annual assistance to Nepal. A high-official at the Chinese Embassy made positive response in the query of RSS regarding the increase of Chinese assistance.

Another delegation member said that China has been making preparation to increase its assistance double in the fiscal year 2015/16 and there is also a possibility of agreement in the meeting for the same.

Spokesperson Devkota said the agreement regarding assistance could be signed as the government has given authority to the Finance Secretary in this regard. China has been providing financial assistance of Renminbi (RMB) 150 million annually to run different socio-economic and infrastructure development projects.

The 10-member delegation comprising Secretary at thye Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Suresh Man Shrestha; Secretary at the Ministry of Commerce and Supply, Narayan Gopal Malego; Chief at the International Economic Assistance Coordination Division, Madhu Kumar Marasini; Director General at the Department of Customs, Surya Prasad Acharya, among others is leaving for Beijing tonight reports The Himalayan Times.