New Chinese ambassador arrives in Kathmandu

Published On: December 29, 2018 04:36 PM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

KATHMANDU, Dec 29: New Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Hou Yanqi arrived in Kathmandu on Saturday to take up her assignment.

Deputy Chief of Protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Khadga Dahal received the new ambassador at the Tribhuvan International Airport Saturday afternoon. Hou is the 21^st Chinese ambassador to Nepal since the two countries established diplomatic relations back in 1955.

Hou has replaced Yu Hong, who returned Beijing last month after serving as the ambassador to Nepal for two years.

Before coming to Nepal, Hou was one of the four deputy director generals at the Department of Asian Affairs under the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The new ambassador has expertise over South Asian affairs. Ms Hou arrived in Nepal at a time when the two countries have deepened their bilateral cooperation in the field of economy, politics, culture, tourism, connectivity and people-to-people contacts under the framework of Belt and Road Initiative.

Earlier in November, the Chinese side had communicated to Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs through diplomatic channel about its decision to nominate Hou as the new ambassador.