Sapkota's visit has been considered as part of homework for Prime Minister KP Oli's visit to China.
Minister Sapkota said that his visit will focus on his ministry's agenda, along with Nepal-China relations and cooperation. “Issues relating to my ministry are on my priority list for this visit. However, talks on mutual cooperation and assistance between our nations are also likely during the visit,” Sapkota said before flying for Beijing. “I have prioritized resumption of Tatopani entry point, upgrading of Araniko Highway and import of petroleum products from China, among other issues, for the talks” he said.
During his visit, Minister Sapkota is scheduled to hold talks with Song Tao, head of the International Liaison Department of the Communist Party of China on Thursday. Tao, who was appointed to the post two months ago, holds the status equal to that of foreign minister in China. Sapkota, supposed to be a close aide of party chairman Dahal, will be conveying Dahal's message during the talks to Tao, who in turn is supposed to have direct access to Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Prior to holding talks with Tao, Sapkota will hold bilateral talks with Zhang Jianlong, administrator of State Forestry Administration of China on Wednesday in Beijing. Both sides are expected to sign an agreement on mutual assistance for conservation of forest and bio-diversity. The meeting will be followed by field visit aimed at observing Chinese forest product industries in Beijing. Sapkota and his delegation, which includes officials from the Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation, were invited by Jianlong's office.
Before flying back to Kathmandu on Saturday, Sapkota is scheduled to fly to Bangkok and meet UCPN (Maoist) Secretary Barshaman Pun, who is presently receiving treatment there.
Sapkota is the first UCPN (Maoist) minister to visit China on an official visit after the promulgation of the new constitution. Though Minister of Supply, Ganesh Man Pun had visited China earlier, his visit was not official. Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel is also visiting China to attend a program convened by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) on January 14.
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