Indo-China border trade through Nathu La resumes
It was historic occasion as the border trade between India and China through Nathu La Pass resumed today at the Changgu border trade mart at Sherathang on the Indian side and Renqinggang trade mart on the Tibetan side with a ceremony presided over by Dr. Pawan Chamling, Chief Minister of Sikkim and Mr. Champa Phuntsok, Chairman of the Tibet Autonomous Region, at Nathu La this morning.
The border trade marts on both sides will be open from Monday to Thursday every week between 0730-1530 hours Indian Standard Time. The trade mart shall remain open from June 1 to September 30 every year. However, the designated authorities of the two sides may extend or reduce the period of trade when considered necessary on account of exigencies like weather conditions.
The traders from both sides would use trade passes for the purpose of border trade. Trade passes would also be issued to drivers of vehicles, which are utilized for the purpose of border trade. To start with, 60 four-wheeled vehicles including passenger buses, if any, would be issued border trade pass. This number could be increased or decreased based on mutual agreement. Border trade would be transacted for items contained in the agreed list of commodities for border trade between the two countries, which presently includes 29 items for exports from India to China and 15 items of import into India from China.
It may be recalled that India and China had signed the Memorandum on Expanding Border Trade on June 23, 2003. The said Memorandum provided the use of Nathu La for the purpose of border trade between India and China. This is the third border trade point between the two countries, the other two being Lipulekh pass in Uttaranchal and Shipki La in Himachal Pradesh.
Modalities for conducting border trade between India and China are laid out in the Memorandum on the Resumption of Border Trade signed between the two countries in December 1991 and the Protocol on Entry and Exit Procedures for Border Trade signed in July 1992. All provisions of these two documents would be applicable for border trade through Nathu La. Other details were worked out between the two countries last month when an Indian delegation visited the Tibet Autonomous Region from June 17-20, 2006.
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AK/NSD/MK
(Release ID :18732)