"The colors of my Pakistani jades are great, and I have discounts if you buy more…" Laji, a businessman from Pakistan, greeted customers in fluent Chinese from the exhibition area at the Gyirong International Border Trade Market on October 31.

On that day, Gyirong's first border goods fair opened in Gyirong Township of Gyirong County on the Sino-Nepalese border in southwest China's Tibet, marking the official opening of the Gyirong International Border Trade Market.

A total of 42.5 million yuan (6.17 million US dollars) was invested into the Gyirong International Border Trade Market, which has a construction area of 12,000 square meters. After opening, it will provide 100 or so booths for local merchants and border residents to display small commodities and exchange in trade.

Hu Hong, county magistrate for Gyirong County and director of the Port Management Committee, said that the establishment of Gyirong's first border goods fair and the opening of the Gyirong International Border Trade Market not only provide platforms for exhibitions and exchanges for domestic and international vendors, but also provide a platform for Gyirong to showcase its natural resources, industrial charm, folk culture, border advantages, and city image.

The Gyirong Port in Gyirong Township has traditionally been a Sino-Nepalese border trade port and is China's outpost towards South Asia. In 1987, the State Council approved Gyirong Port as a national first-rate land transit port. In 2014, it became a bilateral port between China and Nepal. The port opened to third-country personnel in 2017, when it officially became an international port. Gyirong Port is 131 kilometers from Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal.

Editor: Tommy Tan.