Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is leaving for Beijing on Sunday, exactly a month after he made a trip to India, but the highly touted business to business deal to import petroleum products from the northern neighbour is unlikely this time.

Highly placed sources told the Post that petroleum agreement with China is not on the cards.

After months of strained ties with the southern neighbour, Nepal, after KP Oli took over the reins of the government, looked towards the northern neighbour, aiming to import at least one third of total petroleum needs of the country. Nepal and China had signed a framework deal to this effect during Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Kamal Thapa’s visit to China in October. Following PM Oli’s visit to India in the third week of February, fuel supply from the southern neighbour has eased. 

Now, as PM Oli is set to fly to Beijing, Supplies Minister Ganesh Man Pun, who was initially scheduled to join PM-led delegation, has not been included in the final list of delegates, largely, according to sources, because the agenda of importing fuel from China has been put on the back burner. 

“I cannot ask the prime minister why I have not been included in the delegation. After all it’s his delegation,” said Minister Pun on Saturday, admitting that he is not travelling with PM Oli to China.