An Interview with Prof. Dr. He Hongmei, Director, Institute of South Asian Studies, Yunnan Academy of Social Sciences

Forging Cross-Himalayan Digital Corridors: Opportunities and Development Prospects of China-Nepal Digital Economy Cooperation

Kathmandu: As Nepal accelerates the implementation of its Digital Nepal Framework and seeks new pathways for economic transformation, digital connectivity is emerging as a key pillar of national development. At the same time, China has established itself as one of the world’s leading digital economies, with extensive experience in telecommunications, e-commerce, smart governance, digital finance, and innovation-driven growth.

Beyond traditional cooperation in roads, railways, energy, and trade, China and Nepal are increasingly exploring opportunities in the digital sector. The gradual development of the China-Nepal Cross-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Connectivity Network has created new possibilities for digital infrastructure, cross-border e-commerce, digital public services, technological innovation, and human capital development.

Against this backdrop, we spoke with Prof. Dr. He Hongmei, Director of the Institute of South Asian Studies at the Yunnan Academy of Social Sciences, China, to discuss the strategic significance, key priorities, implementation pathways, and future prospects of China-Nepal digital economy cooperation.

I. Strategic Alignment: From Landlocked Isolation to Digital Interconnection

Q: Thank you for granting this interview. Discussions on China-Nepal connectivity have long centered on highways, railways and air transport. Yet the digital economy has become a hot topic among academic and policy circles of both sides in recent years. From a scholar’s perspective, what strategic value does China-Nepal digital economic cooperation hold?

Hongmei : This represents a vital structural upgrade in bilateral cooperation. For a long time, Nepal’s opening-up and economic growth have been objectively constrained by complex geographical terrain, while traditional infrastructure entails huge investment and difficult implementation. In contrast, the digital economy features distinct advantages of low asset intensity, wide coverage and freedom from geographical restrictions.

For Nepal, digital development serves as an efficient pathway to break geographical barriers, smooth external links and boost economic vitality, effectively facilitating its transition from an enclosed landlocked state to an open and interconnected economy. For China-Nepal bilateral ties, digital coordination can further enrich the connotation of the Cross-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Connectivity Network, enabling mutual empowerment and coordinated progress between physical and digital connectivity, and elevating the quality of bilateral economic, trade and livelihood cooperation.

II. Core Themes: Targeted Alignment Between Supply and Demand Sides

Q. China has fostered a highly mature digital economic ecosystem. When conducting cross-border cooperation, how can targeted alignment be realized? In your opinion, what core priorities should China and Nepal focus on for their current digital economic cooperation?

Hongmei : The crux of cross-border digital cooperation lies in precisely matching the advantageous resources of both sides, and effectively linking China’s mature digital industrial supply capacity with Nepal’s localized development demands. Based on the existing cooperation foundation and implementation conditions of the two countries, four pragmatic avenues can be prioritized at this stage:

First, advance the popularization, optimization and upgrading of information infrastructure. Uneven deployment of network infrastructure constitutes the primary bottleneck restraining Nepal’s digital transformation. China possesses sophisticated industrial expertise and robust implementation capabilities in 4G/5G rollout, cross-border optical cable construction and green energy-efficient data center development, laying a solid foundational underpinning for bilateral digital cooperation.

Second, empower small and micro specialty industries via cross-border e-commerce. Nepal’s alpine agricultural products, local black tea and traditional handicrafts feature unique ecological and regional characteristics, yet lack digital supply chain systems and overseas sales channels. Drawing on China’s proven experience in cross-border e-commerce operation, cross-border payment and smart logistics can help Nepali micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) access overseas markets, driving quality improvement and income growth for local characteristic industries.

Third, boost the efficiency of digitalized public services. Nepal continues to push forward the Digital Nepal initiative, with enormous room for upgrading public services including e-governance, urban digital management and digital early warning systems for mountain disasters. China has accumulated abundant real-world cases and practical solutions in digital government, smart livelihood services and digital emergency governance, which can be adapted and deployed in light of Nepal’s local realities to enhance its public service capacity.

Fourth, cultivate local digital talent and advance inclusive digital development. Talent development stands as the long-term core of digital cooperation. Through joint collaboration between universities, research institutions and tech innovation enterprises of both nations, regular digital skills training and joint talent training programs can be launched to nurture local technical and managerial digital professionals, consolidate the talent pool underpinning Nepal’s digital economy, and extend the benefits of digital development to broader groups.

III. Innovative Pathways: Unleashing Market Vitality of Diverse Stakeholders

Q. With core cooperation themes clarified, what innovative implementation models and pathways can we explore to push cooperation forward?

Hongmei : China-Nepal digital economic cooperation can be steadily advanced through multi-layer coordination mechanisms, establishing a cooperation framework featuring sound government guidance, active enterprise participation and sustainable market-oriented operation. Three innovative implementation approaches are highlighted as follows:

First, strengthen alignment of bilateral development plans and policy coordination. Rooted in their respective digital development roadmaps, the two sides shall maintain regular communication and coordination. In light of each other’s development stages and practical conditions, both parties can sort out implementable phased priority projects, forming a clear and stable collaborative framework for pragmatic digital cooperation.

Second, fully unlock market vitality and deepen two-way B2B industrial synergy. Private tech firms and digital startups from China and Nepal shall be encouraged to build regular cooperative ties. Joint technical research and development, localized operational deployment and shared industrial resources can fully stimulate market innovation momentum and foster sustainable industrial cooperation models.

Third, prioritize inclusive digital initiatives catering to people’s livelihoods. Cooperation shall prioritize grassroots livelihood demands, focusing on digital projects that improve public convenience, expand youth employment channels and upgrade women’s digital literacy. This ensures tangible outcomes of bilateral digital cooperation reach ordinary people, delivering inclusive and mutually beneficial common development.

IV. Future Outlook

Q : Looking ahead, what new connotations will China-Nepal digital economic cooperation inject into bilateral relations?

Hongmei : Digital economic cooperation is enriching and upgrading the dimensions and forms of China-Nepal exchanges. Traditional bilateral friendship has long centered on governmental collaboration and conventional trade, while digital cooperation builds a younger, more market-driven and innovation-oriented communication bridge, enabling regular, efficient interactions among youth, tech innovators and entrepreneurs from both sides.

In the future, seamless digital interconnection will continuously narrow the distance between the two peoples and strengthen mutual understanding among communities. Pragmatic digital collaboration between China and Nepal will further expand the scope and vitality of bilateral friendly ties, supporting shared development and improved livelihoods for both nations. Meanwhile, the two countries’ mutually beneficial digital cooperation practices tailored to local demands can offer valuable reference for regional countries to carry out inclusive digital cooperation and advance digital inclusion.

（ Prof. Dr. He Hongmei, Director of the Institute of South Asian Studies, Yunnan Academy of Social Sciences, China）