Chinese PM to arrive in Nepal on Dec 20
KATHMANDU, NOV 09 -
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao is arriving on a three-day official visit to Kathmandu on December 20, a highly placed government source told the Post on Tuesday.
The date was offered by the Chinese side during the visit of Liu Qi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee.
Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai signed the formal letter of invitation on Tuesday, accepting the dates proposed by the Chinese side for Wen’s visit.
“As the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) is gearing up for nationwide elections of party officials slated for the second half of 2012 (October), it was imperative to host Wen within this year. Wen is busy throughout the year in 2012,” the source said.
Wen’s detailed itinerary is still in the process of finalisation, but officials said he will be holding most of his official meetings on December 21. He will return to Beijing on December 22.
Wen will be the highest ranking official to visit from Nepal’s immediate neighbours—India and China—since 2001. Earlier, Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji visited Nepal in 2001 and Chinese President Jiang Zemin in 1996.
A Chinese military delegation led by the Lieutenant General (Military Commissioner) of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is arriving in Kathmandu on Wednesday to prepare for Wen’s visit. The delegation will assess the security situation and hold meetings with senior military officials.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha will be visiting Beijing “very soon” in connection with Wen’s visit, the source said. If political equations do not change, PM Bhattarai is also planning to visit China after Wen’s trip. Officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had been hinting at the Chinese premier visiting Nepal this year. Before Bhattarai left for the Maldives on Tuesday, a Cabinet meeting finalised the dates of the visit and directed government entities to gear up for the same.
Source: Kantipur
