KATHMANDU, Dec 28: China on Monday said that the ongoing visit by a high-level Chinese Communist Party (CCP) delegation is a part of friendly exchanges between Nepali and Chinese political parties and that China has no policy of intervening in the internal affairs of Nepal.

Responding to a query by an Indian journalist in Beijing, Zhao Lijian, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that the CCP delegation is currently on a visit to Nepal with the aim of communicating with Nepal on topics of common interest such as epidemic prevention and control, governance, and cooperation and development, and deepening exchanges and cooperation between Chinese and Nepali political parties. 

"The Communist Party of China upholds the principle of inter-party relations of independence, complete equality, mutual respect, and non-interference in each other's internal affairs," Spokesperson Zhou said at a press conference.

The remark from the Chinese government comes at a time when a section of Nepali and India media have raised questions over the ongoing meetings of Chinese leaders with the leaders of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP), calling it China's interference in Nepal's internal affairs amid deepening political crisis triggered by the dissolution of the House of Representatives and a vertical split in the NCP.

The four-member delegation led by vice minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China, Guo Yezhou, is currently on a visit to Nepal. The delegation met President Bidya Devi Bhandari and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Sunday. The delegation also held separate meetings with rival faction leaders of the ruling NCP on Monday. 

"China and Nepal are good neighbors, good friends, and good partners. For a long time, the Chinese Communist Party has maintained close and friendly exchanges with major political parties in Nepal, which has played a positive role in enhancing mutual political trust, deepening mutual cooperation in governance, promoting practical cooperation, and consolidating traditional friendship between the two countries," said Spokesperson Zhao.

The Chinese official also mentioned that this year marks the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Nepal. 

Spokesperson Zhou said that his country is willing to work with the political parties in Nepal to promote continuous development and prosperity-oriented strategic cooperative partnership and benefit the two countries and two peoples.

 
• Beijing
 
• NCP_split
 
• High_level_delegation
 
• spokesperson_Lijian_Zhao