(TibetanReview.net, Nov03’24) – In what is seen as a break from tradition, Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli of Nepal is likely to undertake his first official visit to China next month, four months after he took over as the head of the new government that replaced the Left coalition government led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal (Prachanda), reported the indianexpress.com Nov 3.
The report cited official sources as saying Oli will visit Beijing most likely between Dec 2 and 5.
Oli’s China visit is seen as a visible break from the ‘tradition’ of new Nepali Prime Ministers undertaking their first trip to India.
It was earlier reported by zeenews.india.com Oct 29 that Oli was planning to pay an official visit to China between mid-November and mid-December, though China was yet to extend an official invitation to him.
The report said India normally extends an invitation to Nepal’s new prime minister, although it was not clear whether one was extended this time.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is believed to have told Oli in New York when they met in September on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York City that he would soon be visiting Nepal, said the indianexpress.com report.
Oli is seen as the most pro-China Nepali leader. However, his principal coalition partner, Nepali Congress, is seen as pro-India even as it maintains a party-to-party relationship with China, like the other major political parties of Nepal.
Oli’s visit to China is planned to take place at a time when the two biggest coalition partners in the government — Nepali Congress and Oli-led Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist— are at odds over the conditions for executing projects under China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
While the Nepali Congress is firm that BRI projects should be accepted only under grants, the CPN-UML supports projects with (high interest) loans from China’s Exim bank, (as being sought by Beijing), the report said.
Nepal has seen three changes of government since general elections were held in Nov 2022, with the three major political parties – the third being Prachanda-led Communist Part of Nepal (Maoist Centre) – realigning with each other each time.