Nepal Everest Rescue Team in China’s Yunnan Province for “Cloud Top 2025” – A Historic First

Kathmandu: A seven-member Nepalese delegation has reached China’s Yunnan Province to take part in the “Cloud Top 2025” Rescue Technology Competition and Exchange Event, marking Nepal’s first-ever participation in the international rescue forum.

The event is being organised by the Kunming City Fire and Rescue Department in coordination with the Yunnan Mountaineering and Outdoor Sports Association, Dali Prefecture Fire and Rescue Department, Dali Prefecture Education and Sports Bureau, and Yangbi County People’s Government.

The delegation from Nepal comprises team leader Pratik Bahadur Khatri and Sudarshan Nepal, President of Everest Alliance Nepal, alongside Man Raj Gurung, Pasang Rinzee Sherpa, Sujal Gurung, Sujan Gurung, and Anup Gurung as its members.

The team was formed by Everest Alliance Nepal in collaboration with the Chinese organisers.

Since its inception in 2020, the Cloud Top series has been successfully held four times: Dashanbao, Zhaotang (October 2020); Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Lijiang (May 2022); Nujiang Grand Canyon (December 2023); and Balagezong, Diqing (May 2024). Over 60 teams from seven countries have participated so far, making it one of China’s largest and most influential rescue exchange activities.

For the first time, Nepal, along with Cambodia and Laos, is joining the competition, which organisers say also serves as a platform for regional diplomatic outreach and disaster-response cooperation across South and Southeast Asia.

The highlights of Cloud Top 2025 include a 24-hour endurance challenge simulating the entire rescue chain, from emergency dispatch and map navigation to tracking, searching, and casualty transport. In addition, individual and team events will be held under a “Fire Rescue Sports” model, combining physical strength, technical skill, and teamwork.

International participants include Nepal’s Everest Rescue Team; Cambodia’s Varaman Team; the Fire Prevention and Emergency Response Police Delegation from Luang Namtha, Laos; and the Emergency Rescue Team of the Lao Red Cross, Luang Prabang Province. Chinese domestic participants include rescue teams from Liaoning, Anhui, Shandong, Shaanxi, and Yunnan provinces, as well as Yunnan’s Provincial Forest Firefighting Department, the Anhui Mountain Rescue Team, the Yunnan Mountain Rescue Team, and the Dalu City Blue Sky Rescue Team.

Organisers emphasise that the competition is not only about testing endurance and skill but also about promoting international dialogue in rescue technology. With the guiding mission of “Practical Exchange and Technical Discussion”, the event encourages openness and inclusivity, placing no restrictions on technical systems, equipment, or rescue paths.

The teams are also expected to demonstrate professionalism, innovation, and standardised operations, drawing lessons from real-world case studies.

A statement from the organisers described Cloud Top 2025 as a leap from “imitative learning” to “pioneering breakthroughs”, aiming to create an unprecedented international summit for rescue technology exchange.

Speaking about Nepal’s participation, the President of Everest Alliance Nepal, Sudarshan Nepal, said, “The participation of Nepal in Cloud Top 2025 aims to showcase Nepal’s expertise and knowledge in mountain rescues on a global stage. This event will surely help elevate Nepal’s position as a leader in global mountaineering manpower and high-altitude rescue operations.”

The event will run as part of China’s ongoing efforts to strengthen global partnerships in disaster preparedness and emergency response while providing participating nations with a platform to exchange ideas, techniques, and technologies in life-saving rescue missions.