KATHMANDU, Dec 26: Amid the ongoing row within the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) which saw a vertical split last week, China is sending a high-level delegation led by Vice Minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Guo Yezhou to Kathmandu.
Although no specific details about the agenda of the visit are available, senior NCP leaders confirmed that Guo is scheduled to land in Kathmandu on Sunday morning, leading a four-member delegation. Observers in Kathmandu believe that the visit could be to assess the ground situation in Nepal in the aftermath of the decision of Prime Minister KP Oli to dissolve the House of Representatives (HoR) and the rival faction within the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) taking to the streets.
Senior Chinese Communist Party leader arrives in Kathmandu “to...
Sources said Chinese ambassador to Nepal, Hou Yanqui had communicated about the visit of Vice Minister Guo to Kathmandu during her recent meetings with senior NCP leaders of both factions. Vice Minister Guo is scheduled to hold meetings with the leaders of both the factions of the ruling NCP.
Beijing appears particularly concerned over the move of Prime Minister KP Oli to dissolve the House of Representatives (HoR) and the evolving political situation that saw a vertical split of the NCP. Shortly after the dissolution of the HoR, Chinese ambassador to Nepal, Hou Yanqi expedited her meetings with top political leadership in Nepal.
Ambassador Hou has already held meetings with President Bidya Devi Bhandari, senior leaders of the NCP Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Madhav Kumar Nepal, former speaker of the HoR Krishna Bahadur Mahara and Barsha Man Pun, among others, within the ruling NCP. Sources said Hou has inquired with the leaders if there was still a possibility to keep the unity of the ruling NCP intact.
The visit by a high-level Chinese delegation comes close on the heels of similar visits from India. After a hiatus of several months, New Delhi has also lately sent high-level delegations, starting with the visit of Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) Chief Samant Goel. Indian Army Chief Manoj Mukunda Naravane and Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla also visited Kathmandu recently.
