President Xi Jinping Nepal visit enumerated

KATHMANDU, Oct 3: President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping is coming to Nepal with a long list in his agenda for infrastructural development mainly regarding Railways, Roads to the border areas, tunnels, hydropower, and transmission lines. He is said to be holding bilateral talks during his visit.

Plans are also being finalized regarding the assistance of the Chinese government under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), as said by the foreign officials. Planned proposals are being framed from the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Planning, three from the Ministry of Energy and one each from the Home Ministry and the Ministry of Education.

Bilateral talks are going to be held regarding the Keruing-Kathmandu road, Tokha-Nuwakot tunnel, Tatopani-Rasuawagadi border point up-gradation, Arniko highway up-gradation, and the Chakrapath ring road up-gradation.

Also included in the agenda is the up-gradation of Kimathanka-Dhankuta-Hiley road project, Hilsa border point development, and rail link. Similarly, Galchhi-Rasuwagadi-Kerung transmission line and Karnali hydropower project will also be discussed in the meeting. On the special request of President Bidhya Devi Bhandari special assistance has been requested for a university to be built in the name of her late husband and popular Communist leader Madan Bhandari.

The Embassy of the People’s Republic of China and its diplomats are busy in coordination and talks. They are in the final phases of setting the plans for the arrival of their President; it was also earlier prepared during the visit of their foreign minister Wang Yi. It is said that President Xi will be making an announcement of major assistance to Nepal according to the foreign official sources, and the Kerung-Kathmandu rail link agreement will also come into a formal agreement.

Final plans are underway, but although there is confirmation of President Xi’s visit date has not been formally announced yet. Recently Air China had successfully conducted a trial run for the visit of the Chinese President at the Tribhuvan International airport. It is said that it contained certain amenities that would be utilized during the President’s visit. Nepal’s President Bidhya Devi Bhandari will be at the airport to receive her counterpart and initiate a welcome ceremony.

(Original text in Nepali at Reporters Nepal)