Nepali scholar praises Belt and Road Initiative as model of economic development

Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-29 14:29:44|Editor: ZX
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KATHMANDU, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Belt and Road Initiative has appeared as one of the biggest economic development models around the globe in the past few years, a Nepali scholar and former top government official said on Friday.

In his book entitled "South Asia China Geo-economics," Yubaraj Sangroula, the former attorney general of Nepal, has highly praised the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, explaining that the it has followed the principle of open participation with a principle of cooperation on equal footing.

Mentioning the Belt and Road Initiative as a model of economic development, the author stated it maintains the principle of inclusive partnership of nations in development endeavors without any threat to the national sovereignty of the participating country.

Proposed by China in 2013, the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Initiative aims to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa through the ancient trade routes of Silk Road.

"Most importantly, it gets rid of traditional, hegemonic or colonial nature of cooperation," Sangroula said in the book talking about the nature of the cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative framework.

The initiative has intended to reshape the existing globalization that is characterized by dispositions of colonial and confrontational underpinnings, the author, who is also the founding executive director of Kathmandu School of Law based in Bhaktapur, has argued in the book.

"Tangibly, the development model of BRI consists of Eurasian transport network integrating multi-dimensional interconnected network of railways, highways, aviation, navigation, oil and gas pipelines, electric transmission lines and communication. These networks intend to create a rich sphere of interconnectedness with shared benefits to all stakeholders," the author stated.

Sangroula said landlocked countries like Nepal, who have joined the Belt and Road Initiative, are going to become the greatest beneficiaries of the Belt and Road model.

"The BRI has bigger prospects to bring for the landlocked countries in access of global markets, as indispensable partners of the inclusive development," the author added.

The book was launched by former Nepali prime minister Jhalanath Khanal in Kathmandu on Friday in the presence of eminent personalities from media, academic field and political parties among others.

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