KATHMANDU: Vice-minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Guo Yezhou is visiting Nepal at a time when the intra-party feud of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) has reached a climax.

Vice-minister Guo is arriving in Kathmandu on Sunday, leading a delegation. Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Hou Yanqi informed about Guo’s Nepal visit during her meetings with top leaders of the ruling NCP on Friday. Chinese leader Guo’s Nepal visit, hence, is viewed meaningful.

Chinese Ambassador Hou called on former Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara on Friday. Sources claimed that envoy Hou enquired with Mahara about the cause for the split in the ruling party and the possibility for reunification.

Likewise, she also met newly appointed NCP Chairman of Prachanda faction Madhav Kumar Nepal. Earlier, the Chinese ambassador had met with President Bidya Devi Bhandari, NCP Chairman Prachanda, and former Energy Minister Barshaman Pun.

Political observers note that China, like in the past, has been particularly concerned over the row within the ruling NCP, and the latest political developments here in Nepal.

China government’s move about the micromanagement of Nepali politics has drawn international attention towards Nepal, of late, observers say.

Observers in Nepal dub the ambassador’s moves as unusual while some have taken it an apparent move as this is a mere continuation of such initiations that have taken in the past.

Earlier,  Chinese Vice Minister Guo had come to Nepal in 2018.