Kathmandu: President Bidya Devi Bhandari was paid a courtesy call by visiting Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China, Li Zhanshu.
At a delegation-level good will meeting held at the President’s Office, Sheetal Niwas, on Wednesday, matters related to bilateral interests were discussed.
Chairman Li arrived Kathmandu via special aircraft in course of his four-day official visit to Nepal at the invitation of Speaker of the House of Representatives Agni Prasad Sapkota.
On the occasion, President Bhadnari highlighted the traditional friendly ties between Nepal and China and expressed her confidence that such high-level visits would further consolidate the persisting bilateral relations.
At the meet, Chairperson Li said the goal of his visit was to implement the pact signed in course of the visit of Chinese President Xi Zinping to Nepal on October 2019.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal, visiting Chinese leader Li highlighted the purpose of his visit to further enhance the reciprocal trust at political level and deepen mutual collaborations in diverse sectors.
He had also extended best wishes on the Constitution Day of Nepal that falls on September 19 (Monday).
Earlier, Li-led Chinese delegation had made on-site inspection of the post-earthquake reconstruction projects in Bhaktapur Durbar Square as well as the indigenous art and culture there.
On the day of the arrival of Chinese delegation, Speaker Sapkota and Chairperson Li had a delegation-level talks and also signed a six-point memorandum of understanding on bilateral cooperation.
Likewise, he held a courtesy meeting with Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba at the latter’s office, Singha Durbar, on Tuesday afternoon.
At the delegation-level meeting with the PM, they discussed matters related to bilateral trade, investment, connectivity, return of Nepali students pursuing education in China for continuity of their study, resumption of flight services and re-opening of border entry points.
Also on the same day, Chairperson Li and National Assembly Chairperson Ganesh Prasad Timilsina had a courtesy meet. Matters related to inter-parliamentary exchanges and cooperation in light of Nepal-China relations were discussed on the occasion.
The Chinese leader also had a good will meet with CPN-UML chair and former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and CPN (Maoist Centre) chair and former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Tuesday.
On the same day, Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Narayan Khadka held a courtesy meeting with Li. They dwelt on various aspects of Nepal-China relations on the occasion.
The top Chinese legislator arrived Nepal on last Monday leading a 67-member delegation comprising six high-level officials, security personnel, journalists and other staffs.
The Chinese delegation is scheduled to return the home country on September 15 morning wrapping up the official visit.
