A tunnel could be built under Mount Everest as part of a new railway between China and Nepal, it has been revealed. Chinese state media has reported that the government is planning to expand the Qinghai to Tibet railway 'at Nepal's request' - which could include a tunnel under the world's tallest mountain - by 2020. The step is important politically as it shows Beijing building links with Nepal, a country India regards as firmly within its sphere of influence.
Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi visited Kathmandu in December and, according to Nepalese reports, said the line could eventually be extended to the Nepalese capital and further - creating a crucial link between China and the huge markets of India. 'The line will probably have to go through Qomolangma so that workers may have to dig some very long tunnels,' expert Wang Mengshu told the Chinese Daily newspaper, referring to Everest by its Tibetan name.
