Top Chinese legislator and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China Li Zhanshu is scheduled to visit Nepal from September 12 to 15, Nepal's Foreign Ministry announced on Sunday.
Li is arriving at the invitation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Nepal Agni Prasad Sapkota.
Li, who is Chinese President Xi Jinping's close ally, is the third-ranking member of the Politburo Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, the top decision making body of China, after President Xi and Premier Li Keqiang.
The visit is taking place just ahead of the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party in October that is likely to give another term extension to Chinese President Xi and general and provincial elections in Nepal on November 20.
The Chinese leadership has been encouraging the Nepali communist leaders, particularly the CPN-UML and the CPN (Maoist Centre), for forging an alliance for the elections.
Speaker Sapkota and Li will hold delegation-level bilateral talks on September 12, said the ministry, Sapkota will host a banquet in honour of Li and the members of his delegation in the same evening.
This will be the third highest visit from the north in the last one year after the formation of the Sher Bahadur Deuba's government in Kathmandu.
In March, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is also the State Councilor of China, visited Kathmandu and discussed a wide range of bilateral issues with the top political leadership.
Then in July, Foreign Department Chief of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Liu Jianchao, arrived in Kathmandu and held talks with all major political stakeholders including communist party leaders.
In August, Foreign Minister Narayan Khadka visited Qingdao, China, and met with his Chinese counterpart, Wang and discussed a wide range of bilateral issues including recent friction between China and the US over the Taiwan Strait.
During his stay in Nepal, Li will pay courtesy calls on President Bidya Devi Bhandari, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and will meet Chairperson of the National Assembly Ganesh Prasad Timilsina, and Minister for Foreign Affairs Narayan Khadka, according to the ministry. Similarly, Li will also meet K P Sharma Oli, former Prime Minister and Chairman of CPN-UML, and Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda', former Prime Minister and Chairman of CPN-Maoist Centre on a wide range of bilateral issues, the ministry added.
FIR lodged against two jail staff over escape of militant from prison
In a major development to the incident of escape of militant from the Bishalgarh Kendriya Sansodhanagar on Tuesday last, an FIR has been lodged against the warder and the guard commander of the prison.
Fight over free ration: Kharge promises 10 kg against NDA’s 5kg if INDIA bloc forms govt
Amid the high-decibel campaign and fierce competition between BJP and the INDIA bloc to woo new voters, the free ration to the country’s 80 crore citizens has become a new rallying point for the latter.
Despite objections from Opposition parties, PoK becoming part of India is reality: HM Shah
Despite opposition from a section of political parties in the country, the event of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) becoming an integral part of India is now a reality, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Wednesday.
Rajasthan mine accident: Chief vigilance officer dies, 14 rescued
A senior vigilance officer at Hindustan Copper Limited died after a lift collapsed at the Kolihan mine in Rajasthan's Neem Ka thana district, said officials, adding that 14 trapped people have been rescued.
India surpasses Australia, Japan, Hong Kong in data centre capacity
India has surpassed major countries like Australia, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Singapore, and Korea becoming the country with the highest data centre capacity of 950 MW in the Asia-Pacific region (excluding China), according to a private report released on Wednesday.
EVMs stored in 50 strongrooms under strict security: Assam CEO
EVMs with VVPAT machines used for the recently conducted Lok Sabha polls in Assam were kept in about 50 strongrooms across the state under strict security measures, said state Chief Election Officer Anurag Goel on Wednesday.
SC orders release of NewsClick editor in UAPA case
The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered the release of NewsClick founder and editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha, who was arrested by the Delhi Police under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act over allegations that the media outlet received money to spread pro-China propaganda.
Rajasthan mine accident: Eight of 15 trapped employees rescued
Eight of the 15 employees, including vigilance officers and workers of Hindustan Copper Ltd, who were trapped at 1,875 ft in a mine at Kolihan near Khetri in Rajasthan's Neem Ka thana district, were rescued on Wednesday, said officials here, adding that the operation was underway and soon others will be taken out.