Nepali and Chinese people together celebrated Chinese new year, the Spring Festival, and organized an event in Nepali capital Kathmandu on Monday night.

The special program was jointly organized by Araniko Society, an association consisting of Nepali alumni who once studied in China, and the Chinese Embassy in Nepal.

The Chinese New Year of Ox begins from January 26.

Addressing the program organized to mark the New Year, Nepali Minister for Culture and State Restructuring Gopal Kiranti stressed the Nepal-China cultural relations.

After recalling the new progresses of bilateral relationship in the past year, the Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Qiu Guohong expected China-Nepal diplomatic ties to be further strengthened and for this the statesmen and the peoples of both countries should move together hand-in-hand.

"Spring festival and the New Year is very especial festival for Chinese people, in this regard Araniko Society is organizing this program together with Chinese embassy to share happiness," said Dr. Harish Chandra Shah, President of Araniko Society.

"This is our honor to host such a dear festival with Chinese people," Shah added.

Also present at the program was Nepali Minister for General Administration Pampha Bhusa. Some 300 guests including Nepali and Chinese people living in Nepal joined the program.