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Boosting tourism collaboration between China and Nepal can help strengthen mutual exchanges in various other fields, including economy, trade and culture, bolstering bilateral ties and advancing people-to-people bonds, Nepali experts said.

According to the latest statistics released by the Nepal Tourism Board, or NTB, the Himalayan nation recorded over 1 million foreign tourist arrivals in the first 11 months of 2025. The country welcomed 1,060,269 foreign tourists from January to November, compared with 1,055,520 visitors in the corresponding period last year.

India retained the top spot among the source markets for foreign tourists during the period, followed by the United States, while China ranked third with 86,800 arrivals recorded during the 11 months.

The robust volume of Chinese tourists in Nepal came as 2025 was designated as "Visit Nepal Year in China". The year also marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two neighbors.

"It is very important to keep enhancing people-to-people friendship through tourism, art performances, educational cooperation," said Harish Chandra Shah, president of the Nepal China Cultural and Educational Council.

He said Nepal and China enjoy common cultural affinity, social linkages and familial relations, but they also have different, diverse cultures and traditions.

Shah said that efforts have been underway in the recent past to boost cooperation and exchanges between the two sides. Among such initiatives, a conference was held in Kathmandu in May this year to promote collaboration between China and Nepal in the fields of cultural tourism and road-rail transport. The event led to the signing of agreements on tea trade and cultural tourism exchange.

Suresh Man Maharjan, founder and CEO of Himalayan Legends, a tour operator based in Kathmandu, said Nepal has particular charm for Chinese tourists, due to the vast diversity of landscapes as well as a wide range of activities that the landlocked nation offers, including exploring its folk culture and arts, ancient civilization, learning about its exotic flora and fauna, taking part in hiking and trekking, and enjoying adventure sports such as paragliding and river rafting.

Immersive travel

He said apart from the traditional mode of tourism, a new mode of immersive travel has been fostering closer ties. Here, primary and middle school students are offered an opportunity to experience Nepali folk music, or enjoy homestays in Nepal's villages.

"The latter can help young students from China gain an idea of the authentic lifestyle of the local villagers who live at the foot of the Himalayan mountains so they can understand each other's culture and customs," said the Nepali travel expert.

"This new mode of experience-based tours will become increasingly popular in future as participants can actively pursue knowledge about Nepal rather than just go sightseeing."

China and Nepal have enjoyed good connectivity, said experts in the travel industry. Himalaya Airlines, a China-Nepal joint venture based in Kathmandu, has been operating direct flights between Kathmandu, Nepal's capital city, and Lhasa, the capital city of China's Xizang autonomous region, and between Kathmandu and Southwest China's Chongqing.

Earlier this year, the carrier started the first-ever direct commercial flights between Lhasa and Pokhara, Nepal's second-largest city and a popular tourist attraction.

Prakash Pun, a tourism promoter in Hong Kong for Nepal's Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, said that tourism can help bridge the gap or narrow differences between people and cultures.

"It will lead to more frequent commercial activities and diplomatic exchanges between the two sides," he said. Source: China Daily

A right that lives only in writing is not a right at all. Without sincere enforcement, even the finest laws become empty promises. As the world marks Human Rights Day on December 10—commemorating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) of 1948—it is worth asking: are we genuinely upholding these rights, or merely celebrating them in speeches and documents?

The UDHR, with its 30 articles, protects basic freedoms such as the right to life, liberty, equality, speech and expression. These rights are also guaranteed by Nepal’s 2015 Constitution. However, guaranteeing rights and ensuring people enjoy them,in true and material sense, are two different things.

Rights on Paper

Human rights violations continue around the world. Children, women, and workers still face mistreatment. Even basic rights like clean air and safe public spaces are not fully protected. In Nepal, the Constitution promises dignity for all, but dignity requires respect, equality, and real opportunities.

Developing countries like Nepal often struggle to implement fundamental rights, which increasingly appear dependent on economic capacity. As a result, their enforcement begins to resemble the fate of Directive Principles—lofty aspirations constrained by limited resources.

When states, in practice, start placing fundamental rights and directive principles on the same footing solely because of economic inadequacy, it leads to undemocratic governance and systematic human rights violations. Every individual is entitled to enjoy these rights fully by virtue of being human. It is high time for the states to assume collective responsibility in combating discrimination and safeguarding human rights. After all, the mere enactment of laws carries little value without meaningful enforcement.

Governance Matters

Good governance is essential for protecting rights. Nepal’s Constitution emphasizes rule of law, transparency, inclusion, and welfare. Global thinkers—from Locke to Gandhi—have long linked justice and governance. Nepal’s own history, including Prithvi Narayan Shah’s Dibya Upadesh, stresses fairness and preventing injustice.

The Good Governance (Management and Operation) Act of 2008 is a specific law aimed at promoting good governance by ensuring public administration accountable, transparent, inclusive, and participatory. This Act emphasizes values like the rule of law, corruption-free administration, financial discipline, and efficient public service. Section 17 mandates for the basis and reason to be mentioned in decision. 

Other relevant statutory measures, such as the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority Act (1991), Prevention of Corruption Act (2002), the Public Procurement Act (2007), and the Right to Information Act (2007), further reinforce Nepal’s commitment to ensuring good governance.

The Supreme Court in the case of Gopal Guragain on behalf of Communication Corner Pvt. Ltd. v. Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Singhdurbar, Kathmandu (N.K.P., 2067, Vol.1, Decision Number. 8299) held that transparent governance helps reduce corruption, delays, and red tape.

The UN lists eight pillars of good governance, including accountability, participation, and equity. Without these, rights cannot flourish.

Poor Economy 

Many fundamental rights remain unfulfilled because of weak economic conditions. Pollution violates environmental rights. Unemployment pushes thousands of youths abroad for survival. Social inequality, political favoritism, and digital gaps deepen discrimination.

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar famously argued that political democracy cannot survive without economic democracy. Rights become empty promises when the state lacks the resources to enforce them. Perhaps the world needs a new global commitment to support poorer nations in fulfilling human rights obligations.

Way forward 

Education should promote peace, equality, justice, and respect. Legal knowledge alone is not enough; people must learn empathy, fairness, and non-violence.

Human rights should not depend on a country’s wealth. Nor should they remain limited to paper or be treated merely as a topic for university curricula. Instead, they must be taken seriously as a matter that demands genuine, practical implementation. 

It is time for nations to work together to uphold human rights in practice—not just in speeches and documents. Laws have value only when they are implemented, and every person deserves to enjoy their rights fully, simply by being human.

“To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity,” rightly said Nelson Mandela. It’s high time we acknowledged his words and implemented our human rights-friendly laws in true and material sense.  

Authors are faculty members in Law at Manmohan Technical University (MTU), Biratnagar, Nepal

Sudurpaschim Royals have advanced to the final in the ongoing Nepal Premier League (NPL). 

In today's first qualifier match, Sudurpaschim Royals defeated Biratnagar Kings by 77 runs to reach the final.

Biratnagar, however, will get a chance to play the eliminator. 

Chasing the 156-run target posted by Sudurpaschim, Biratnagar were all-out scoring 78 runs in 14.1 overs. 

Despite Faf du Plessis scoring a maximum of 36 runs, Biratnagar could not avoid defeat. 

For Sudurpaschim, Scott Kuggeleijn, Abhinash Bohora, and Harmit Singh took two wickets each. 

Earlier, after losing the toss, Sudurpaschim chose to bat first and scored a total of 155 runs in their stipulated 20 overs, losing seven wickets. 

For Sudurpaschim, Binod Bhandari contributed the most with 63 runs. He scored 63 runs off 52 balls, including three fours and two sixes. 

Similarly, Aasif Sheikh and Sherdon Jackson added 20 runs each. 

Likewise, Harmit Singh scored 14 runs, and Ishan Pandey added 13 runs. 

On the bowling side for Biratnagar, Pratish GC and Merchant de Lange took two wickets each, while Surya Tamang and Sam Heazlett took one wicket each. 

Investors finally breathed a sigh of relief, as the Nepal Stock Exchange (Nepse) index ended a six-day losing streak on Tuesday. The benchmark index climbed 7.39 points to close at 2,614.07 points.

The recovery comes as a welcome respite for the secondary market, which had been in a downward spiral after its five-day winning run came to a halt on November 30. Over the subsequent six trading sessions, the index shed a total of 69.35 points.

The index opened in green territory on Tuesday and quickly hit an intra-day high of 2,620.47 points. The gain, however, was short-lived as selling pressure dragged the market down, sparking fears that the bearish momentum would persist. Just as the market seemed poised for another session in the red, a sudden spike toward the closing minutes of the session pushed the index back into positive territory.

Despite the recovery in the index, total turnover shrank to Rs 3.75 billion, a significant drop from Monday’s Rs 4.61 billion. This figure represents the lowest daily turnover since November 19, when securities worth Rs 3.73 billion were traded on the bourse. The low turnover indicates a lack of strong conviction in the secondary market, as many investors likely remained on the sidelines, waiting for clearer trends before committing fresh capital.

By the close of the session, unit prices of 148 scrips had advanced, while 101 declined and nine remained unchanged. Sector-wise, the performance was mixed but generally positive. Of the 13 sub-indices, nine ended the day in the green, while four posted nominal losses. The Hotels and Tourism sector led the recovery, advancing by 0.88%, signaling renewed interest in hospitality stocks. On the other hand, the Non-Life Insurance sector recorded the biggest slide of 0.17%.

Ngadi Group Power Ltd topped the turnover charts with Rs 319.2 million worth of shares traded. Laxmi Sunrise Bank and Radhi Bidyut Company Ltd were next with turnovers of Rs 111.48 million and Rs 99.12 million. A total of 8.74 million units were traded through 62,665 transactions. 

Although the benchmark index has snapped its losing streak, the shrinking volume suggests that the market has yet to find a solid footing for a sustained rally.