China Steps In After Indian Fuel Stops Flowing to Nepal

China will provide 1.3 million liters of gasoline to Nepal as supplies from India

According to Nepal’s Himalayan Times, as of this week, “Only few tankers of fuel have been sent to Nepal from India when Nepal needs about 250 tankers of fuel on a daily basis.” Nepal has had to institute fuel rationing, including restrictions on car usage.

The fuel shortage – and resulting public anger at India – gives China a major opportunity to win some of the goodwill that India has lost by stepping into the breach and providing fuel. However, there was a complication: the China-Nepal border had been closed off since the April 25 earthquake in Nepal due to blocked roads,China’s foreign ministry said earlier this month. The border crossing at Jilung reopened in mid-October, with China immediately transferring unspecified “assistance supplies” to Nepal, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said.

Now China finally appears ready to begin supplying fuel to Nepal. When asked about the reports, Hua said that “the Chinese side is ready to offer necessary assistance at the request of the Nepali government as a friendly neighbor to relieve its shortage of fuel supply.” Hua added that “the Chinese and Nepali sides are in close communication on that.” Read more=

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