KATHMANDU, May 26 (Xinhua) -- Experts from Nepal and China have vowed to promote people to people exchange between the two countries through non-governmental organizations (NGOs) under the framework of China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative.

The pledge was made on Thursday at an interaction program on "Promoting people to people relations: ideas on One Belt One Road Initiative" organized by the Kathmandu-based influential think-tank Nepal Council of World Affairs (NCWA).

"We believe that strong cooperation at the NGOs and think tank level under the framework of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative will contribute to promoting comprehensive partnership between Nepal and China," Chairman of the NCWA Hemanta Kharel said.

He also stressed on the need to increase cooperation between think tanks of the two sides in the fields of research, study and exchange of visit.

The greater connectivity is one of the components of the Belt and Road Initiative propounded by China in 2013 and under the framework "we can establish China-Nepal-India Economic Corridor which helps the financial integration of the region", he said.

Kharel hoped that cross-border road and rail connectivity under the Belt and Road cooperation between Nepal and China will be vital for Nepal's socio-economic development.

Addressing as a key note speaker on the occasion, Liu Hongcai, vice president of the Chinese Association for International Understanding of China, said that Chinese NGOs are willing to enhance cooperation with the NGOs and think tanks of the countries along the Belt and Road routes.

"We are hopeful that Nepali NGOs can collaborate with Chinese NGOs and jointly contribute to the building of the Belt and Road."

"The Belt and Road Initiative is an open and inclusive concept to promote mutually beneficial cooperation between China and the rest of the countries around the world who are part of it," he said.

Foreign affairs expert in Nepal Binod Bista said that the Belt and Road Initiative is not an alternative of the globalization but complements to the globalization.

During the interaction, Chinese experts also shared their views with their Nepapli counterparts on how Nepal and other countries can benefit from the Belt and Road Initiative.