The Merciless Disaster Brings out the Warmth of Humanity
The Friendship Between China and Nepal Bears Fruitful Achievements
灾难无情人有情 中尼友谊硕果丰
Ambassador Hou Yanqi
驻尼泊尔大使侯艳琪
25 April 2020
2020年4月25日
Today is the 5th anniversary of the 25 April, 2015 earthquake in Nepal and the memories on it are still fresh for me. Back then, I was working in the Department of Asian Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China. On the very day, when my colleagues and I heard that an 8.1-magnitude earthquake hit Nepal, we got on the rescue work with no hesitation. We worked around the clock with only one idea in our minds, which was to race against time to send the most-needed personnel and resources to the Nepali people as soon as possible to save lives and to fight against the disaster to reconstruct the homeland.
今天是尼泊尔4·25大地震5周年纪念。回想当年，往事历历在目。当时我在中国外交部亚洲司工作。4月25日当天，得知尼泊尔发生8.1级特大地震，主管的同事们立即投入救助工作。大家彻夜忙碌，心里只有一个念头，就是尽快把急需的人力、物力送到尼泊尔人民那里，与时间赛跑，抢救生命；与灾难斗争，重建家园。
With our efforts, China International Search and Rescue Team, the first heavy-duty international rescue team arrived in Kathmandu on the next day and successfully rescued 2 survivors. Three batches of emergency humanitarian supplies with a total value of 140 million RMB yuan also arrived in Nepal by air very soon. Despite the roads and houses in Nyalam, Jilong and other counties in the Xizang Autonomous Region damaged by the earthquake, the Chinese side sent the Transportation Corps of the Chinese People’s Armed Police who risked their lives and rushed to repair the Arniko Highway, the lifeline connecting China and Nepal, as quickly as possible and transported the oil, food, medicine and other materials to Nepal. The Chinese people also volunteered to donate money and materials through the Nepali Embassy in China to Nepal. The Chinese enterprises and oversea citizens in Nepal participated in rescue operation and helped repair the roads and restore communications.
经过努力，中国国际救援队地震后第二天即抵达加德满都，成为首支抵达的重型国际救援队，并成功救出2名幸存者。总价值1.4亿元人民币的三批紧急人道主义物资援助也很快空运抵达。在西藏自治区聂拉木、吉隆等县道路房屋受震灾损毁的情况下，中方派出中国武警交通部队，冒着生命危险，以最快速度抢通了中尼生命线阿尼哥公路，将最急需的油料、食品、药品等物资运抵尼泊尔。中国人民也纷纷自发组织起来，通过尼驻华使馆捐款捐物，在尼中资企业和华人都投入到救援行动中，帮助当地抢修道路、恢复通讯。
After the emergency rescue operations, the Nepali people started an arduous journey of post-earthquake reconstruction, in which the Chinese side has been taking an active part. H.E. Mr. Wang Yi, then Foreign Minister of China, present State Councilor and Foreign Minister of the People’s Republic of China, attended the International Conference on Nepal’s Reconstruction 2015 on behalf of the Chinese government and announced that China would provide 3 billion RMB yuan in grant to Nepal from 2016 to 2018. The two countries also signed a memorandum of understanding on 25 post-earthquake reconstruction projects in five major areas, namely infrastructure, people’s livelihood in mountain areas, archeological heritage renovation, disaster preparedness and health. With tenacious beliefs and perseverance, the people in Nepal and China have overcome the difficulties including the destruction of infrastructure and the "blockade" and promoted reconstruction in a steady and organized way.
紧急救援行动后，尼泊尔人民开始了艰苦的灾后重建，中方一直积极参与其中。时任中国外长、现任国务委员兼外长王毅代表中国政府出席尼泊尔重建国际会议，宣布中方2016-2018年向尼泊尔提供30亿元人民币无偿援助。两国还签署谅解备忘录，在基础设施、山区灾后民生恢复、文物古迹修复、灾害防治能力建设和医疗卫生等五大领域确定了25个灾后重建项目。中尼两国人民凭借坚韧的信念和毅力，克服了基础设施损毁、“软禁运”等重重困难，稳步有序地推进项目建设。
At the end of 2018, I took the post of Chinese ambassador to Nepal. And since then I have been fortunate to have the opportunities to inspect those reconstruction projects aided by China with the leaders of Nepal for many times. It is delighting to see the improvement project on the broad Kathmandu ring road has been completed, and I am honored to attend the handover ceremony of the project with Prime Minister Oli. The beautiful Nine-storeyed Basantapur Tower Restoration is on the way to restore its former charm; the neat Kathmandu Durbar High School is ready to welcome students. The second phase of the Upgrading and Renovation Project of Civil Service Hospital, where a large number of wounded people were treated during the earthquake, is under construction; the Tatopani Frontier Inspection Station, the Cross Border Bridges in Tatopani (Friendship Bridge) and the Cross Border Bridges in Rasuwagadi (Rasu Bridge) were opened to traffic. The projects for which we have worked together for day and night have all made progress, some are completed, and some are under construction. On the sites of these projects, I saw the workers of the two countries busy in construction, sweating to rebuild their homes and nourishing the China-Nepal friendship to bear fruits. The China-Nepal friendship tested by the earthquake is deep into the hearts of the peoples of the two countries and has become common precious asset for both countries.
2018年底，我出任驻尼泊尔大使，有幸多次与尼国家领导人一起视察那些中方援建的灾后重建的项目。令人欣慰的是，宽阔的加德满都内环路已完成改造，我荣幸地同奥利总理一道出席了项目交接仪式。美丽的九层宫正在恢复往日的神韵，整洁的杜巴中学已准备迎接学生。地震中收治了大量伤员的公务员医院二期正在建设中，塔托帕尼边检站及中尼友谊桥和热索桥都重建通车。那些我们曾共同为之日夜奋战的项目都一一取得进展，或已完工，或正在建设。在这些项目上，我看到两国工人们忙碌的身影，他们在用汗水重建家园，让友谊结出硕果。经历地震考验的中尼友谊已深入到两国人民的心中，成为我们共同的宝贵财富。
The past five years have witnessed the significant progress in not only post-earthquake reconstruction and the mutual assistance between China and Nepal but also the rapid development of bilateral relations and cooperation in various fields. Last year, President Xi Jinping and President Bhandari successfully exchanged state visits, and the two countries established Strategic Partnership of Cooperation Featuring Ever-lasting Friendship for Development and Prosperity. During President Xi Jinping’s visit to Nepal, a package of grant projects to Nepal from 2020 to 2022 has been announced, and will continue to provide support and assistance to the post-earthquake reconstruction, economic, social and livelihood development of Nepal.
过去的五年是尼泊尔灾后重建取得重要进展的五年，也是中尼两国守望相助的五年，更是两国关系与各领域合作突飞猛进的五年。去年，习近平主席和班达里总统成功实现互访，两国建立了面向发展与繁荣的世代友好的战略合作伙伴关系。习近平主席访尼期间，宣布2020-2022年中国对尼一揽子援助计划，继续向尼灾后重建、经济社会和民生领域发展持续提供支持与帮助。
The post-earthquake reconstruction of Nepal is comprehensive and covers a variety of areas. China has been taken active participation in the promotion on tourism industry of Nepal by expanding direct flights between the two countries and increase the total number of weekly flights to nearly 60. China has become the second largest tourist source of Nepal. More and more Chinese people come to Nepal to experience the beauty of the snow-capped mountains and the charm of the Buddha’s birthplace. The Chinese enterprises have also actively participated in infrastructure construction such as highways, airports, water tunnels and etc. through investment, contracts and other ways. They are fully involved in the reconstruction and development of Nepal in a comprehensive way and making contribution to the achievement of the goal of “Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepalis”.
尼泊尔的灾后重建是全面而涵盖各领域的，中方积极参与尼旅游业振兴，推动增开直航，使每周往返两国间航班达到近60个。中国已成为尼第二大旅游客源地，越来越多的中国人来尼感受雪山映日的美景和佛祖故里的古韵。中国企业还通过投资、承包等形式积极参与尼公路、机场、引水隧道等基础设施建设，全方位参与尼国家重建与发展，助力尼实现“繁荣尼泊尔、幸福尼泊尔人”的目标。
On the occasion of the 5th anniversary of the earthquake, I would like to express my deep condolences to the victims, pay my high tribute to the persevering Nepali people dedicated to rebuild their homeland, and express my heartfelt thanks to all the engineering and technical staff of both countries who participated in the reconstruction.
值此地震5周年之际，我愿再次向在地震中遇难的人们表示深切哀悼，向不屈不挠、重建家园的尼人民表示崇高敬意，向所有参与尼灾后重建的两国工程技术人员表示衷心感谢。
At present, the COVID-19 pandemic is spreading all over the world. To fight against this common enemy of mankind, the Chinese people and the Nepali people have once again worked hand-in-hand and shoulder-to-shoulder and helped each other to fight against the pandemic in a joint way. A friend in need is a friend in deed and China-Nepal friendship will last from generation to generation. Let us move towards a better future under the guidance of the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind!
目前，新冠肺炎疫情正在全球肆虐，面对这一全人类共同的敌人，中尼两国人民再次携手并肩，相互支持，共同抗疫。患难见真情，友谊世代存。让中尼两国在共建人类命运共同体的理念指引下，一起迈向更加美好的未来！