KATHMANDU: Ruling Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Chairman Rabi Lamichhane is set to visit China for eight days from August 23 to 30, according to a senior leader close to him. The visit, scheduled for Bhadra 7–14 in the Nepali calendar, will be Lamichhane’s first trip to China and is being made at the invitation of the Communist Party of China (CPC).
After the RSP joined the government, Lamichhane had earlier paid a five-day visit to India at the invitation of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Efforts are still underway to arrange a meeting between RSP Chair Lamichhane and Chinese President Xi Jinping, although it has not yet been confirmed by the Chinese side.
According to multiple sources, the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu and the Communist Party of China’s International Department have conveyed to Lamichhane that they are attempting to schedule a meeting with President Xi, but the meeting is not included in the preliminary itinerary. Another source told Nepal All that Chinese officials have assured Lamichhane’s team that efforts are being made to facilitate the meeting, but no final confirmation has been provided so far about the meeting with president Xi. “Under Chinese protocol, the president generally meets only heads of state or heads of government, so a meeting with Xi is less likely,” RSP leader close with Lamichhane told Nepal All.
In Beijing, Lamichhane is high likely to meet Chinese Vice President Han Zheng and Foreign Minister Wang Yi. His first official meeting will be with Liu Haixing, head of the CPC’s International Department, who extended the invitation for the visit. Lamichhane will lead a five-member delegation, which will include his wife Nikita Poudel. After Beijing, the delegation is scheduled to travel to Tibet and visit Kailash Mansarovar.
During his visit to India from June 1 to 4, Lamichhane met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. He also held discussions with BJP President Nitin Navin and other senior leaders.
