On June 8, 2011, representatives of business management departments of Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, from South Asia, gathered in Kunming to attend the South Asia Economic and Trade Promotion Conference.

Tanka Prasad Karki, ambassador of Nepal to China, said at the conference that “The world economy is developing into a closely connected integrated whole. All the countries must work closely and keep friendly exchanges to stimulate economic development in their own countries and the whole region.” He added that Nepalese companies have invested in Tibet, Shangri-la and Guangxi of China. They hope Yunnan will be part of their next move, making Kunming a model of bilateral trade cooperation between the city and Nepal.

At the South Asia Economic and Trade Promotion Conference, representatives of the six countries briefed their respective basic situations, advantageous industries, investment environments, trade promotions, and related laws and regulations. Companies that attended the conference raised questions on taxation policies and economic situations. One company manager said “I came here today to get some ideas on investment opportunities in South Asian countries, to seek business cooperation in the future.”