China has expressed its readiness to open the Kodari Highway. The highway has remained closed after the April 25 earthquake last year.

During his meeting with Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, visiting Chinese Communist Party leader, Liu Qibao, said that China was positive about opening the highway and that both sides should work together in this regard.

During the meeting, PM Dahal told Liu that his government and people of Nepal are eager to welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping and urged him to communicate the message to Xi, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Secretariat.

“Nepal is keen to expand political, economic and cultural relations with China,” the statement quoted PM Dahal as saying. “While appreciating Nepal’s commitment to one China policy, Liu said China is ready to help Nepal in all possible way.”

Liu, also chief of the Publicity Department of the Chinese Communist Party, arrived in Kathmandu on Saturday.

Besides discussing Nepal-China ties and ways to strengthen them, the Chinese side also enquired about Nepal’s position on China’s “One Belt One Road” initiative and ways to advance Nepal’s economic development, the statement added.

Nepal has, in principle, agreed to join the Chinese flagship initiative but is yet to decide to be part of it.

Issues like connectivity between the two countries through road and rail networks  were also discussed during the meeting.

PM Dahal on his part sought to know about the expansion of Chinese rail network to Nepal and resumption of the Tatopani customs point. The Chinese side shared that it wishes Nepal to move the constitution amendment issue forward in a positive way by taking the voices of all sides into consideration.

Chinese delegation meets Deuba, Oli

KATHMANDU: A visiting Chinese delegation on Monday met Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba and CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli.

The Chinese delegation led by Chinese Communist Party leader and chief of the Publicity Department of the CPC Liu Qibao arrived in Kathmandu on Saturday.

Though Liu was supposed to meet Deuba and Oli, his deputy held separate meetings with them after the Chinese leader took ill.

During the meetings with Deuba and Oli, the Chinese delegation extended invitations to both the leaders to visit China. According to a statement issued by the Nepali Congress, matters related to contemporary issues and politics figured during the meeting. During the meeting, Deuba expressed party’s firm commitment to one China policy, said the statement. (PR)

China Festival begins

KATHMANDU: The seventh edition of China Festival and second Kathmandu Cultural Forum began in Kathmandu on Monday. The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation and the Embassy of China are the joint organisers

of the festival. The three-day festival was jointly inaugurated by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Krishna Bahadur Mahara and Communist Party of China Secretariat Member Liu Qibao. al begins

KATHMANDU: The seventh edition of China Festival and second Kathmandu Cultural Forum began in Kathmandu on Monday. The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation and the Embassy of China are the joint organisers

of the festival. The three-day festival was jointly inaugurated by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Krishna Bahadur Mahara and Communist Party of China Secretariat Member Liu Qibao.