A two-day long Forum on China Tibetan Culture-Kathmandu kicked off in Nepali capital Kathmandu on Wednesday.

The forum, which aimed at further promoting cultural understanding and cooperation between the Tibet Autonomous Region of China and Nepal, was jointly sponsored by the China Association for Preservation and Development of Tibetan Culture, Arniko Society of Nepal and the Chinese Embassy to Nepal.

Nepali Foreign Minister Sahana Pradhan, Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Zheng Xianglin, Vice Minister of the United Front Work Department of Communist Party of China Central Committee Sita, Deputy Director General of China Tibetology Research Center TenzinGanpo and Harish Chandra Shah of Araniko Society attended the inaugural ceremony.

Congratulating the opening ceremony, Nepali Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala said in his letter that Nepal and China have been enjoying excellent ties of friendship and cooperation over the centuries.

"I am confident that the age old tradition of our common culture and heritage will be consolidated further with the passage of time. We are confident that there would be further expansion of network of transport and communications to strengthen our multi-level relations and to open new opportunities for the benefit of our two peoples", the prime minister said.
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(Xinhua News Agency December 20, 2007)