Tibet to spend 1.2 bln yuan on infrastructure at Gyirong Port of Entry

The Tibet Autonomous Regional Government will spend 1.2 billion yuan (175.8 million U.S. dollars) building infrastructure at the Gyirong Port of Entry.

The project is also part of the overall plan to build a southern Asian landway trade route, according to Tibet's Commerce Department.

In the next five to ten years, the regional government will pay closer attention to the development of the port of entry to promote the border trade between Tibet and southern Asian countries including Nepal.

Gyirong, a historical hub for commercial and cultural exchanges between Tibet and Nepal, obtained the Central Government approval to open to the outside world in 1961.

In 1987, it was designated as the country's class-A port of entry.

With the aid of the Central Government and cooperation in trade, tourism and culture between Tibet and Nepal, Gyirong has been developing fast in recent years.

By the end of 2008, Gyirong's imports and exports of had totaled 5.57 million yuan (0.67 million U.S. dollars), with exports hitting 4.94 million yuan.