A reception was held in Beijing Monday to mark the establishment of the China-Nepal Friendship Association.

Addressing the reception, Chen Haosu, president of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), said that his association, as a national non-governmental friendship organization, always values its friendly exchanges with Napal. At present, CPAFFC has forged friendly ties with many organizations in Napal.

Chen expressed his hope that the founding of China-Nepal Friendship Association will inject new vigor into bilateral friendly cooperation and contribute more to promoting bilateral cultural exchanges, economic cooperation and traditional friendship between the two peoples.
 
Sun Fuling, president of newly-minted China-Nepal Friendship Association, said the establishment of the association aims to further enhance the understanding, trust and friendship between the people of both countries through means of personnel exchanges, seminars and cultural activities.

Nepalese ambassador to China Narendra Raj Panday cited the founding of the association as a milestone of bilateral relations. He expressed the belief that the association will be proved as an essential mechanism to enhance mutual friendship and understanding.

Visiting Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Nepal Paras Bir Bikram Shah Dev and Ismail Amat, vice-chairman of Standing Committee of the National People's Congress were among those present at the reception.

(Xinhua News Agency August 17, 2004)