Chinese President Xi Jinping has expressed his readiness to visit Nepal at his earliest convenience, Nepali officials said on Saturday.

During a meeting between Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Xi on the sidelines of the Brics-Bimstec Outreach Summit that began on Saturday in Goa, India, Dahal had extended an invitation to the Chinese president to visit Nepal within this year.

“I will visit Nepal as soon as possible at my convenient time,” Minister for Foreign Affairs Prakash Sharan Mahat quoted Xi as saying.

However, there was no word on the date for the visit.

While assuring China that Nepal is committed to implementing the agreements signed with Beijing by the erstwhile government, securing Xi’s visit to Nepal was high on PM Dahal’s agenda.

Minister Mahat said that Nepal as a close neighbour [of China] expects high-level visits from the northern neighbour as soon as possible.

Though earlier there were talks about Chinese president’s visit to Nepal either on his way to Goa or while returning from there, it failed to materialise, for the “lack of preparations” on the part of the Nepali side regarding implementation of the past agreements, mainly an accord on trade and transit signed by the erstwhile KP Oli-led government during his visit to Beijing in March.

During the meeting on Saturday, the Nepali side assured its Chinese counterpart that the past treaties and agreements signed with China would be implemented without delay.

The Nepali side also reiterated its commitment to one-China policy.

Dahal and Xi also held discussions on the trilateral cooperation among Nepal, India and China, an idea floated by China and backed by Dahal. Discussions were held on ways to make the trilateral cooperation idea materialise, according to Mahat.

The two leaders also held talks about recent political situation in Nepal. During the meeting, Xi is said to have urged Dahal to maintain internal unity in Nepal for effective implementation of the constitution. “PM Dahal briefed President Xi about of efforts being made to address the demands of some Madhes-based parties,” Mahat said.

Road and railway connectivity was another major agenda of the meeting.

The opening of Korala entry point, expanding Chinese railway up to Nepal border was also discussed during the meeting, said officials.

Xi has also pledged to extend support for the earthquake-affected people in Nepal, they added.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two leaders expressed satisfaction over the close and cordial relations between the two countries based on the five principles of peaceful existence.

The leaders talked about promoting cooperation for development in the areas of infrastructure, connectivity, trade and transit, said MoFA in a tweet. “Dahal and Xi stressed that cultural commonalities of the two Himalayan nations provide the basis for promotion of partnership in trade and

culture.”