President Bhandari leaves for China (In pictures)

KATHMANDU, April 24: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has left for a nine-day state visit to the People’s Republic of China on Wednesday at the invitation of her Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping.

Vice President Nanda Bahadur Pun, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara, Chairperson of National Assembly Ganesh Prasad Timilsina, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Ishwor Pokharel and Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa bade farewell to President Bhandari at VVIP lounge of the Tribhuvan International Airport.

President Bhandari will participate in the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation taking place in Beijing. Similarly, President Bhandari is scheduled to address the Second Belt and Road Forum, according to the Foreign Ministry. Delegation-level bilateral talks would be held between President Bhandari and her Chinese counterpart during the visit, which will be followed by a signing ceremony. The President also will hold separate meetings with senior Chinese leaders, according to the Foreign Ministry President Bhandari would visit Xi’an, the capital city of Shaanxi Province, on her way to Beijing. She would also visit Lhasa, the capital city of Tibet Autonomous Region of China, on her way back home. In both places, she will meet provincial leaders.

President Bhandari is accompanied by Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali, State-3 Chief Minister Dormani Poudel, members of Federal Parliament, high-officials of the government of Nepal, Nepali Ambassador to China, representatives from the private sector and media persons. President Bhandari will return home on May 2. RSS

Photo: Mukunda Kalikote