China and India have reopened a Himalayan border pass linking the two countries on Thursday after a 44-year suspension. It is expected the reopening of the border at Nathu La Pass will enhance the friendship and also promote trade between the two nations. CRI's reporter Chen Xi has more.
 REPORTER: The 4,300 meter-high mountain pass used to be part of the famed Silk Road. It is a link between India's northeastern state of Sikkim and China's Tibet Autonomous region. However, it was closed in 1962 following a border conflict.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu says China is looking forward to a strengthened friendship with India.
"China and India signed a memorandum in 2003 to promote border trade between the two countries. We agreed to open a market at the Nathu La Pass. This will greatly improve our international trade and also better the Sino-Indian political relationship."
Under the mutual duty-free trade agreement, Indian exports can now bring in 29 commodities to China through Nathu La Pass. They include carpets, cigarettes, tea and barley, while Chinese traders can export 15 types of goods, including goat and sheepskin, wool and herbs through the pass.
Trade volume between China and India has increased 32 percent annually over the past decade and was worth almost 19 billion US dollars in 2005. Associate Professor Xu Xilin of Peking University said the new pass will do good to people from both sides.
"The reopening and development of Nathu La Pass will become a significant power to change the economic situation of the frontier area. It will also promote the local transportation, architecture and service industries and eventually build up a new prosperous trade route."
It is reported the pass has been thoroughly modernized ahead of the opening with the establishment of customs, banking, Internet café and ATM facilities–the last two thought to be the highest in the world.
Chen Xi, CRI News.
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