Border trade between China and India through Nathu La Pass will hopefully be reopened this year, Indian newspaper The Pioneer reports, saying hundreds of Indian workers are building road and bridge at their side to welcome the reopening scheduled in October.

A local government spokesman said that according to their plan, this traditional "Silk Road" will be reopened and border trade will resume on October 2.

The news was confirmed by Chinese Ambassador to India Sun Yuxi at a press reception to mark the 40th founding anniversary of Tibet Autonomous Region recently held in New Delhi.

He said both sides are busily working on the construction sites and the reopening of Nathu La Pass is only a matter of time.

Construction on the two sides are not going to progress side by side due to geographical differences, and Sun predicts that the road won't be completely opened until mid-2006, which is agreed by Indian central government officials.

Residents along the China-India border started barter quite early in history. The trading route through Nathu La Pass was part of the ancient "Tea Horse Road" and Yadong County of Tibet was once the largest commercial port along this road. The annual trade volume in early 20th century could top a hundred million silver dollars, accounting for more than 80 percent of total border trade between the two countries.

By People's Daily Online