Thapa, upon arrival at Tribhuwan International Airport on Tuesday after a five-day visit to China, said that China has already invited the prime minister for a visit.
"Our visit has laid the ground for a long-term framework for economic relations," said Thapa. "The prime minister's China visit in the immediate future will see important achievements in implementing the framework that we have prepared during this visit."
Thapa's statement comes a day after the prime minister told journalists that he will "visit both India and China by mid-April".
Asked if his own visit was a precursor to the prime minister's, Thapa remained tight-lipped.
During the visit by the Thapa-led delegation, officials of Nepal and China discussed about expanding trade and investment and about working out a transit agreement between the two countries.
However, the Chinese side was ready only to provide fuel as assistance for now.
"Discussions have been held on starting a fuel trade with China as per the national policy of diversifying our fuel trade," said Thapa. "For now, the Chinese government is going to provide additional fuel worth 10 million Yuan as assistance for Nepal."
He said that an understanding has been reached betwen the two sides that a long-term agreement on fuel trade will be finalized after delving into various aspects such as taxes, transportation and pricing.
"A team from Nepal Oil Corporation is still in Beijing," he further explained, adding,"necessary instructions have already been given to the officials and both sides will keep working on diversifying the fuel trade."
The Thapa-led delegation that included Minister for Law and Justice Agni Kharel and top officials from various ministeries was the first high-level delegation to visit China after the formation of the present government. The delegation met Chinese Vice-President Li Yuanchao, Foreign Minister Wang Yi and other top officials.
According to Thapa, the two sides discussed extensively about mutual connectivity and infrastructure development.
"There are nine border points connecting Nepal and China and we have reached an understanding on activating them one after another based on priority," Thapa said. "We will receive support from China in resuming traffic on the Araniko Highway as soon as possible."
The highway was a major route for regular trade between Nepal and China but has been blocked since the April earthquake.
The two sides have also agreed to bring the Rasuwagadhi-Syaphrubeshi road into operation round the year.
"Discussions were held about the prospects of bringing the Kimathanka checkpoint into operation," Thapa further said.
He also claimed that work will be carried out to build a railway in Nepal in view of China's plans to expand its railway network up to the Nepal border.
Thapa further informed that a high-level visit from China to Nepal will take place within a period of one year.
Then Chinese prime minister Wen Jiabao paid a brief visit to Nepal in January 2012.
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