China plans to extend the newly-built Qinghai-Tibet railway to neighbouring Nepal to expand trade with South Asia, Xinhua News Agency yesterday quoted a top Tibet official as saying.

Qiangba Puncog, chairman of the Tibet Autonomous Region, made the remarks on Sunday to visiting Nepalese Deputy Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli in Lhasa, Tibet's capital.

"Tibet is a remote region and is looking forward to constructing a new passage to South Asia to tap the huge potential for bilateral trade," Puncog said. "The railway extension will greatly promote economic exchanges."

Oli, who arrived in Lhasa on Saturday for an eight-day formal visit to China, said the Nepalese Government hopes the railway can connect the two countries and that the two countries will co-operate on the construction.

Construction of Qinghai-Tibet railway's first branch line connecting Lhasa and Xigaze, Tibet's second largest city, is reportedly ready to begin next year.

The line to Xigaze, which is closer to the Nepalese border, will extend the railway by some 270 kilometres. It is expected to be completed within three years.

The branch line will then be extended to the border between China and Nepal, about 400 kilometres away from the city, Xinhua said.

However, it did not say when construction of the extension line to the border would begin.

A spokesman surnamed Fang with the Ministry of Railways was yesterday unable to confirm the news.

Puncog said the regional government has started improving the highway connecting Lhasa and Xigaze to facilitate transportation between Tibet and Nepal before the railway is constructed.

A new highway connecting Xigaze and the Nepalese border is also under construction.

China has five border crossings with Nepal, but only has one highway.

The Qinghai-Tibet Railway is the world's highest railway. Some 960 kilometres of track are located 4,000 metres above sea level and the highest point is 5,072 metres.

Source: China Daily