Thursday 25th April 2024
Chinese President Xi Jinping will be visiting Nepal between October 12-13, 2019, informed the Nepal Foreign Affairs Ministry (MoFA).
President Jinping is visiting Nepal on the invitation of Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari.
According to MoFA, the Chinese President will meet President Bhandari and hold delegation-level talks with Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.
President Bhandari will be hosting a banquet in honor of the Chinese President and his delegation.
Jinping and Prime Minister Oli will also oversee the signing of bilateral agreements and MoU by both nations officials.
The Chinese President will be traveling to Kathmandu on October 12, 2019 after a two-day visit to India.
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said that the upcoming delegation-level talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping will focus on economic partnership with the sole aim of Nepal’s welfare and interest.
“We will also hold discussions with China regarding the issue of long-term welfare and necessity. But we also want to give equal importance to the issue of immediate necessity and collaboration,” said Oli.
The agenda for the upcoming talks were decided after holding discussions with former Nepal Prime Ministers, former Foreign Affairs Ministers and foreign affairs experts at PM Oli’s residence in Baluwatar on October 10, 2019.
Nepali Congress leader and former Foreign Affairs Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat advised that the government should collaborate with China while focusing on Nepal’s welfare and necessity. It should not make haste to launch big projects.
He said that the government very well welcomed Chinese Investment while also saying that Nepal should participate in the Belt and Road Initiatives.
At the discussion, present Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali briefed the panel of ministers about the preparations made so far for the Chinese President’s visit.
The discussion with the Chinese President will span issues of road and connectivity with China
Nepal has strengthened its security arrangements in the capital city Kathmandu ahead of the Chinese President’s upcoming visit.
The Ranipokhari’s Metropolitan Police Office Chief Deputy Inspector General of Police Shailesh Thapa Chhetri confirmed the same stating that they have made security arrangements in line with the Chinese President’s visit schedule.
Additionally, more security personnel outside Kathmandu Valley will be called in for Jinping’s protection.
While the Nepal Army will be at the forefront of the security system, the Nepal Police, the Armed Police Force (APF) and National Investigation Department (NID) will be positioned at the second, third and fourth orders.
Senior Nepali leaders will also interact with President Jinping during his visit to the country.
The preparations to welcome Chinese Xi Jinping in Nepal have started in full swing. Several Nepal government bodies are developing themes for the upcoming bilateral talks and agreements to be discussed during President Jinping’s visit.
The visit is being seen as an opportunity to revive previous bilateral agreements signed during Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and President Bhandari’s official visits to China.
President Jinping’s visit to Nepal will also be instrumental in promoting Nepal’s tourism campaign Visit Nepal 2020.
Primary venues across Nepal such as Baneshwar, Babarmahal, Bhadrakali, Durbarmarga, Hatiisar, Kalimati, Kesharmahal, Sundhara, Solteemode, Tinkune and Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) have been decorated to welcome Jinping.
Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) Spokesperson Ishwarman Dangol informed that they are working on making the city look more presentable by cleaning and repairing roads and planting new plants.
The KMC will be planting various flower species to decorate the roads and will work on arranging stone slabs with grass, repairing traffic lights and tarmacking among others.
Dangol further said that flags will be placed alongside the roads and students will carry national flags to welcome President Xi Jinping.
Nepal has strengthened its security arrangements in the capital city Kathmandu ahead of the Chinese President’s upcoming visit. A total of 15,000 security personnel have been deployed for Jinping’s visit.
The Ranipokhari’s Metropolitan Police Office Chief Deputy Inspector General of Police Shailesh Thapa Chhetri confirmed the same stating that they have made security arrangements under the command of the Nepal Army and in line with the Chinese President’s visit schedule.
Brigadier General Sarad Giri will head the overall security of the visit.
While the Nepal Army will be at the forefront of the security system, the Nepal Police, the Armed Police Force (APF) and National Investigation Department (NID) will be positioned at the second, third and fourth orders.
Army officers of the People’s Liberation Army of China will guard the Chinese President from the right side and trained officers of the Nepal Army will be offering their protection from the left side.
Additionally, 3,000 police personnel outside Kathmandu Valley have been called in for Jinping’s protection.
The government has announced a public holiday on Sunday – October 13, 2019 in view of the Chinese President’s upcoming visit.
The Ministry of Home Affairs suggested the proposal for a public holiday at the cabinet meeting held on October 10, 2019. It was taken with the intention to ease traffic for President Jinping’s motorcade movement.
