At the invitation of the ruling CPN (Maoist Centre), Wang Xiaohui, Communist Party of China (CPC) Secretary of the Sichuan Province, arrived in Kathmandu on Tuesday evening.

Wang is among senior CPC leaders to visit Kathmandu after the formation of the Pushpa Kamal Dahal government in December last year.

The former deputy head of the publicity division of the CPC is currently a central committee member of the party. The publicity department is also the propaganda department of the Chinese Communist Party that has close contacts with top Chinese leadership including the president.

“He came at the invitation of our party and will meet us at the party headquarters on Wednesday morning,” Dev Gurung, general secretary of the Maoist Centre, told the Post. It is unclear whether the Wang-led delegation will meet Prime Minister Dahal who is embarking on a four-day official tour of India on Wednesday afternoon.

“The Chinese side is still exploring the possibility of unity among leftist parties in Nepal, which could be one reason for Wang’s visit,” a Maoist Centre leader said. “But we will know the exact reason only after meeting the delegation.”

A 20-member Maoist Centre delegation led by former Speaker Agni Sapkota is still in China and meeting senior CPC leaders.

Soon, a delegation of the CPN-UML will also visit China, said an UML leader.

According to some Nepali communist leaders who recently returned from China, the Chinese continue to be concerned about the future of the current ruling coalition and continue to explore the possibility of left unity.

The other areas of their concern, said the Nepali communist leaders, are growing Indian and American presence in Nepal, which they believe could have a direct bearing on Nepal-China bilateral ties, economic cooperation and execution of the Belt and Road Initiative.

“We are unaware of the Chinese delegation’s other engagements in Kathmandu,” said Gurung, adding that the Chinese Embassy is coordinating their meetings.