KATHMANDU: Visiting Vice Minister of Chinese Communist Party International Department Guo Yezhou has remained busy in political parleys since he arrived in Kathmandu on Sunday.
A four-member delegation led by Guo arrived in the capital on Sunday. The delegation held talks with President Bidhya Devi Bhandari and Prime Minister KP Oli on Sunday evening.
Even though the motive of the visit is yet to be disclosed, it has been learned that the major objective is to keep the unity of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) intact.
Guo’s visit has been considered significant at a time when the ruling NCP has witnessed a vertical split of late with both the factions — led by KP Oli and the other one led by Prachanda-Nepal — claiming the authenticity of the party and the election symbol.
Meanwhile, during the meeting with President Bhandari held at the President’s Office, Shital Niwas, the delegation held talks on bilateral issues, and the row within the NCP.
Likewise, the visiting Chinese delegation also met with Prime Minister Oli on Sunday evening and “conveyed New Year 2021 greetings” from Chinese President Xi Jinping to PM Oli, according to PM’s Foreign Affairs Advisor Rajan Bhattarai.
According to him, Guo also shared CCP’s views on Nepal and China relations as well as relations between NCP and CCP.
“The Chinese side expressed their happiness about the deepening and widening relations between our two countries and two parties based on mutual interest and mutual respect,” he said.
Meanwhile, PM Oli said that both “our countries and parties” have been enjoying excellent bilateral relations since a long time and furthermore in recent years, both the countries were able to promote and strengthen the bilateral relations into a new height in many areas.
He further said that being a close neighbor and a friend of Nepal, China has been providing support and assistance in each and every sectors of Nepal.
PM Oli also mentioned the high level visits made by both the countries in the past and the visit made by this time has helped to understand further each other and also contribute in promoting two countries and people level relations.
He also reiterated Nepal’s position of “One China Policy” and assured them about not allowing Nepal’s land to be used against China.
The Chinese side expressed their gratitude towards Nepal, including NCP for supporting the “One China Policy”.
Meanwhile, the delegation is holding talks with NCP Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda” and leader Madhav Kumar Nepal on Monday.
A four-member delegation of the CPC had arrived Kathmandu Sunday morning to assess the situation after the split in the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP).
Vice-minister Guo is the first foreign official to visit Nepal since President Bidya Devi Bhandari dissolved the Parliament on December 20.
The ruling NCP has been virtually split between the factions led by Prime Minister Oli and executive chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda’, two years after it was formed with the merger between CPN-UML led by Oli and CPN-Maoist Centre led by Prachanda in May 2018.
It should be noted that Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Hou Yanqi in the past had played crucial roles in saving the ruling party from a split.
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.
Comment