To lay the ground for Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba’s upcoming visit to China, possibly in early October, Deputy PM and Minister for Foreign Affairs Krishna Bahadur Mahara is leaving on a five-day official trip to the northern neighbour on Wednesday.

Officials said other agendas of Mahara’s Beijing visit are opening the third Consulate General Office of Nepal in Guangzhou and to work on implementation of past accords signed with China.

Holding high level visits from both sides in 2018 including by Chinese President Xi Jinping will also figure in Mahara’s meetings in Beijing.

“The PM is ready to visit China after he returns from participating in the United Nations General Assembly in New York. After finding a convenient time, the Chinese side will invite the PM on a visit,” Mahara told the Post.

The PM is considering a visit to Beijing in the first half of October though dates are yet to be finalised. 

Deuba is expected to assure Chinese leaders of Nepal’s readiness to work their country on Nepal’s priority projects including implementation of Xi’s Belt and Road Initiative.

Mahara said no agreement would be signed during his visit but various areas of cooperation would be discussed. On his return, the DPM will inaugurate Nepal’s Consulate Office in Guangzhou, China. Nepal has two consulate offices in Hong Kong and Lhasa while it has also requested China to open a fourth one in Chengdu, the provincial capital of Sichuan.

Mahara, who has already visited India twice, is embarking on his first official tour to China after assuming a new role in June at the invitation of his counterpart Wang Yi.