Quake-damaged port on China-Nepal border to resume cargo service

LHASA -- The port of Zham on the China-Nepal border will resume its cargo service Wednesday, four years after it was closed due to a massive earthquake, according to a press conference held by the information office of southwest China's Tibet autonomous region Tuesday.

Tashi Gyatso, a spokesperson of the Tibetan regional government, said efforts had been made on geological disaster prevention and control, power supply, and reconstruction of roads, water conservancy, joint inspection and cross-border facilities to meet the conditions for the resumption of cargo services.

China and Nepal will hold a reopening ceremony on Wednesday.

Zham port, as the most important highway port on the border of China and Nepal, cleared more than 90 percent of trade between the two countries before a massive earthquake devastated Nepal and some border areas in Tibet on April 25, 2015.

The earthquake caused severe damage to the Zham port, roads, bridges and other facilities, forcing the port to close.

Yang Guoliang, deputy head of the Tibetan regional commerce department, said only the cargo service would be resumed after scientific assessment. For safety reasons, the passing of personnel through the port will be halted until further notice.