On March 7, Cui Li, vice-president of the Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation Commission (GNFCC) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), addressed the opening ceremony of the China-Nepal "Lifeline Express" Center of Cooperation for the Prevention of Blindness in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal.

More than 100 guests attended the ceremony, including Bimala Ghimire, vice-chair of Nepal's National Assembly; Rabilal Panth, secretary of Nepal's Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration; Chen Song, Chinese ambassador to Nepal; Tam Yiu-chung, chairman of the Lifeline Express Hong Kong Foundation; Nellie Fong Wong Kut–man, founding chairwoman of the Lifeline Express Hong Kong Foundation; Bidhan Nidhi Paudel, executive director of the Civil Service Hospital of Nepal; and heads of relevant medical institutions and medical personnel from both China and Nepal.

Cui Li, vice-president of the Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation Commission of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, attends the opening ceremony for the China-Nepal "Lifeline Express" Center of Cooperation for the Prevention of Blindness in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal.

Cui congratulated the opening of the center, emphasizing that its establishment reflects China's sense of responsibility as a major country. She noted that the initiative is a concrete example of China fulfilling its commitments, a vivid example of fostering China-Nepal people-to-people friendship, and a tribute to the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Cui pointed out that the project was supported by the Chinese Foundation for Lifeline Express and the Lifeline Express Hong Kong Foundation, and implemented by the International Health Exchange and Cooperation Center of China's National Health Commission. She expressed confidence that the center will bring great benefits to Nepali patients with eye diseases.

She expressed hope that both sides would take this opportunity to further strengthen exchanges and cooperation in the medical and health fields, help Nepal continuously improve its medical diagnosis and treatment capabilities, and make new contributions to jointly promoting the building of a China-Nepal community with a shared future.

Guests visit the ophthalmology clinic of the China-Nepal "Lifeline Express" Center of Cooperation for the Prevention of Blindness.

Cui highlighted that 2025 was designated as the SCO Year of Sustainable Development at the SCO Summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, last year. During China's rotating presidency of the SCO for 2024 to 2025, the GNFCC is ready to work with other SCO countries to explore the potential of good-neighborliness and friendly cooperation, in line with the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, so as to contribute to the building of a closer SCO community with a shared future, she added.

Guests at the opening of the China-Nepal "Lifeline Express" Center of Cooperation for the Prevention of Blindness at the Civil Service Hospital in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal

Ghimire emphasized that Nepal highly values its relationship with China, noting the long-standing friendship between the two countries. She said that Nepal and China are friendly neighbors who support each other and development partners sharing a common destiny. Over the seven decades since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the bilateral relationship has continuously deepened with frequent high-level exchanges. Leaders of both countries have charted the course for the development of bilateral ties and cooperation between the two countries, Ghimire said.

China has provided Nepal with strong support in areas such as epidemic prevention and control and infrastructure construction, while cooperation in various fields including trade, investment, and tourism continue to expand, Ghimire said. She expressed confidence that Nepal-China relations will continue to develop positively.

She said the establishment of the China-Nepal Center of Cooperation for Prevention of Blindness funded by China is of great significance, and will provide high-quality treatment and services to Nepali patients with eye diseases, benefiting the people of Nepal.

Bimala Ghimire, vice-chairperson of Nepal's National Assembly, addresses the opening ceremony for the China-Nepal "Lifeline Express" Center of Cooperation for the Prevention of Blindness in Kathmandu.

Cui Li, vice-president of the Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation Commission of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, addresses the opening ceremony for the China-Nepal "Lifeline Express" Center of Cooperation for the Prevention of Blindness in Kathmandu.

Rabilal Panth, secretary of Nepal's Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration, addresses the opening ceremony of the China-Nepal "Lifeline Express" Center of Cooperation for the Prevention of Blindness in Kathmandu.

Chen Song, Chinese ambassador to Nepal, addresses the opening ceremony for the China-Nepal "Lifeline Express" Center of Cooperation for the Prevention of Blindness in Kathmandu.

Tam Yiu-chung, chairman of the Lifeline Express Hong Kong Foundation, addresses the opening ceremony for the China-Nepal "Lifeline Express" Center of Cooperation for the Prevention of Blindness in Kathmandu.

Tam Yiu-chung, chairman of the Lifeline Express Hong Kong Foundation, and Bidhan Nidhi Paudel, executive director of the Civil Service Hospital of Nepal, sign donation documents.

Guests from China and Nepal attend the opening ceremony for the China-Nepal "Lifeline Express" Center of Cooperation for the Prevention of Blindness.

Guests from China and Nepal at the opening of the China-Nepal "Lifeline Express" Center of Cooperation for the Prevention of Blindness at the Civil Service Hospital in Kathmandu

Guests at the China-Nepal "Lifeline Express" Center of Cooperation for the Prevention of Blindness

The Civil Service Hospital of Nepal in Katmandu