Interview: China has done "very good job" in quake rescue, relief: Nepal FM

China has done a "very good job" in helping Nepal better cope with the aftermath of the strong earthquake that wreaked havoc in the Himalayan country, Nepalese Foreign Minister Mahendra Bahadur Pandey said.

"Through your media, we would like to extend our thanks to the Chinese people and the Chinese government ... We appreciate the prompt response (to the April 25 earthquake) shown by Chinese President Xi Jinping, and we are very happy and it has encouraged us to move forward," he told Xinhua in an interview.

As of Tuesday, the death toll of the 7.9-magnitude quake that struck Nepal has climbed to 8,151, with 17,866 people injured and over 568,000 government and public houses partially or fully destroyed, government statistics showed.

"In the devastating earthquake, thousands of the people lost lives in Nepal and thousands of people have been injured. Hundreds of thousands of the people have been homeless," Pandey said, "So in this situation, the Chinese government and the Chinese people showed their interest to help us in humanitarian ground. They came and they have done a very good job."

Appreciation is the key word of Pandey's comments on China's help.

"I have to appreciate their contribution, amity and for the assistance they have provided and certainly in many places in the northern part. Similarly, they have rescued Nepali people and they have been working hard to bring the human life out of the debris, caused by the avalanche and earthquake," he said. "They have been helping us to provide food grains to the people who are suffering this type of earthquake in different parts of our country."

To cope with the aftermath of the quake, there are four stages, including rescue, relief, reconstruction and rehabilitation, Pandey said, underscoring opportunities during the process.

"Because of this earthquake, we lost something and at the same time, we have got the opportunities to rebuild our settlement. So we are shifting some of the villages from original places to other ones on the basis of planning and we are going to make good use of the land," he said.

According to the minister, the land will be separated for agriculture, forestry, growing industrial goods and products as well as settlement.

"We have already declared that in a couple of years, there will not be any percent (of people) without any shelter, no any percent of people who will lack of food, no any sort of citizens out of school, no any citizens suffering from any disease without medication," said Pandey.

As far as the reconstruction is concerned, he said, infrastructure is very important and the building of road and airport as well as some sort of energy production are in priority.

"The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and similar type of financial institutions can contribute by providing either grants or soft loads. That will be very good contribution," he said.

While speaking highly of the China-led bank, the minister underscored the strong relationship between his country and China that is "based on understanding and trust."

As good neighbors and friends, Pandey said, Nepal and China " have moved together in the international arena not only in bilateral issues," because as members of the community of common destiny both countries love peace.

"Now, the world itself has become a village, and there will be many houses in the village but among those houses, there will be two houses nearby -- we are here," he said. Endi