The Trans-Himalayan Multi-dimensional Connectivity Network (abbreviated as THMCN and sometimes referred to as the Trans-Himalayan network) is an

economic corridor Economic corridors are integrated networks of infrastructure within a geographical area designed to economic stimulus, stimulate economic development. They connect different Agent (economics), economic agents in a particular geographic area. Corr ...

between

Nepal Nepal, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mainly situated in the Himalayas, but also includes parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China Ch ...

and

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

and part of China's

Belt and Road Initiative The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI or B&R), known in China as the One Belt One Road and sometimes referred to as the New Silk Road, is a global infrastructure development strategy adopted by the government of China in 2013 to invest in more t ...

, a global development initiative that develops connectivity especially across

Eurasia Eurasia ( , ) is a continental area on Earth, comprising all of Europe and Asia. According to some geographers, Physical geography, physiographically, Eurasia is a single supercontinent. The concept of Europe and Asia as distinct continents d ...

. During a state visit to Nepal in 2019, the corridor was hailed by Chinese President and General Secretary of the Communist Party

Xi Jinping Xi Jinping, pronounced (born 15 June 1953) is a Chinese politician who has been the general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and Chairman of the Central Military Commission (China), chairman of the Central Military Commission ...

as changing Nepal "from a landlocked to a land-linked country."

Infrastructure

The corridor consists of several transportation infrastructure projects. The flagship infrastructure project is the

China–Nepal railway The China–Nepal Railway ( zh, 中尼铁路; ) is a planned railway between China and Nepal. The railway will link Kathmandu with Shigatse, Tibet, crossing the China–Nepal border at Gyirong– Rasuwa. Background As a landlocked country nes ...

, which currently at the stage of feasibility study. A number of highway projects are to be implemented including the construction of a tunnel road and upgrading of the Araniko Highway, which was shut down after the Gorkha earthquake. The Araniko Highway ends at the border of the village of

Kodari Kodari is a small village located at the border with Tibet-China. The village is located at the end–point of the Arniko Highway, which connects Kodari with the capital city of Kathmandu. Kathmandu is away from Kodari. Kodari is a major border ...

and the Chinese border crossing of

Zhangmu Zhangmu () or Dram in Tibetan (), or Khasa in Nepali, is a customs town and port of entry located in Nyalam County in Tibet, China close to the Nepal-China border, just uphill and across the Bhotekoshi River from the Nepalese town of Kodari. ...

. The border port is set for restoration under the initiative. The projects also consist of internal improvements to Nepalese transport infrastructure including serving three north–south corridors of the country (Koshi Economic Corridor, Gandaki Economic Corridor and Karnali Economic Corridor). The intended projects include the Kathmandu-Pokhara-Lumbini extension of the China-Nepal railways and various highway projects in the Himalayan Valley.

References

{{Belt and Road Initiative Belt and Road Initiative Transport in the Himalayan Rim China–Nepal relations