File Photo: People gather near a collapsed house after a major earthquake in Kathmandu in Nepal on April 25, 2015. (Reuters)
A large contingent of China's armed border police officers entered Nepal through Tibet for the first time today to take part in earthquake relief efforts.
The operation, approved by the Chinese government, was launched after a meeting on the Chinese side of the border at the urgent request of Nepal, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
160 armed police officers and 56 units of engineering machinery entered Nepal across the Friendship Bridge that links the two countries.
Their first mission is to reopen the road connecting the border pass of Zham and Kathmandu, the report said.
The China-Nepal Highway, with a total length of 943 kms, including 829 kms in Tibet, was severely damaged in the earthquake on April 25.
Workers had cleared the Tibetan section of the highway two days ago.
General Fu Ling of the traffic rescue brigade said a total of 500 police officers together with 180 units of engineering machinery would be organised into three groups and a reserve team to clear the road.
Geologists have also been sent to assist in the operation.
Nepalese police also met their Chinese counterparts on the border.
Fu said the officers would observe Nepalese laws and regulations, respect local religious belief and customs, and do their best to aid quake relief.
Chinese Ambassador to Nepal, Wu Chuntai, told Xinhua that China has sent over 300 rescuers and medical workers to the quake-hit nation along with 30 flights of relief goods.
China is also evacuating over 8,000 of its nationals stranded in Nepal by civilian flights.
Xinhua also reported that Nepalese President Ram Baran Yadav has expressed gratitude to the Chinese government and people for supporting his country in the relief and rescue efforts.
"I would like to extend my sincere thanks and gratitude to the people of China for the support that we have got here in this difficult time of natural calamities," President Yadav said.
He also praised the expertise of the Chinese quake-relief teams and said he hoped that the Nepal government would further coordinate with the Chinese government to overcome calamities.