KATHMANDU: Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Chair Rabi Lamichhane is set to visit China later this month, leading a four-member party delegation to Beijing for high-level meetings with Chinese officials.
According to party sources, Lamichhane will be accompanied by several leaders and lawmakers close to him. During the visit, he is expected to meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and other senior government officials. Details of the remaining meetings have not been disclosed.
Sources close to the RSP said the visit aims to strengthen political engagement with China and build confidence following changes in Nepal’s political landscape after the March 5 political transition.
The visit comes amid limited high-level engagement between Nepal’s new government and its two immediate neighbors. According to the sources, Prime Minister Balendra Shah has yet to hold formal one-on-one meetings with the ambassadors of either China or India since assuming office.
“The chairman’s visit to Beijing has been finalized and will take place within this month. It has been decided that a four-member delegation will travel, although the names of the other members have not yet been made public,” a party source said.
During the Beijing visit, Lamichhane is expected to hold discussions on bilateral Nepal-China relations and other issues of mutual interest with Chinese officials.
The planned visit follows reports that the Prime Minister recently dispatched his chief adviser, Kumar Ben, to New Delhi to facilitate preparations for a future visit to India. According to reports, Ben met Ajit Doval, India’s National Security Adviser, during the trip.
Government sources have indicated that, after completing its first 100 days in office, the government is preparing for high-level visits to neighboring countries.
Lamichhane’s China visit will be conducted in a party capacity, and no government representatives are expected to participate in his meetings with Chinese officials.
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