A delegation from the International Liaison Department of the Communist Party of China led by Vice Minister Sun Haiyan called on Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli on Saturday.

The CPC delegation arrived in Kathmandu on Friday from Dhaka, Bangladesh on a visit aimed at strengthening party-to-party relations through a joint consultative conference with Nepali political leaders.

During the meeting with Prime Minister Dahal, both sides discussed various aspects of Nepal-China relations and issues of mutual interest, said Rupak Sapkota, the foreign relations adviser to Dahal.

The CPC delegation was invited by the CPN (Maoist Centre), the prime minister’s party. The delegation had arrived after visiting some South Asian nations. Dahal and Sun also discussed issues related to implementing agreements and understandings reached during the recent prime ministerial visit to China and other occasions.

The frequency of visits between the two sides has increased after China lifted Covid-related restrictions. According to security officials, over five dozen delegations from each side visited the other in 2023, marking one of the busiest exchanges between the two sides.

The delegation started its four-day visit with a meeting with Rastriya Swatantra Party President Rabi Lamichhane at the party headquarters. In the afternoon, the delegation called on UML chair Oli and discussed various facets of bilateral relations. The discussion was focused on strengthening cooperation in Nepal’s development endeavours and the relations between the UML and the Chinese Communist Party, said Gopal Khanal, a member of the international relations department of the party who also attended the meeting. “Our chairman also assured her about Nepal’s resolute stand for one-China policy, which the Chinese side appreciated,” Khanal said.

Sun told Oli that China would continue to support Nepal’s economic development, suggesting that Nepal should take advantage of China’s economic rise. Nepal should prioritise development projects, Khanal quoted Sun as saying. She had also read out Chinese President Xi Jinping’s message to Oli.

Oli, while appreciating the fast development that China has achieved in a short period of time, responded that Nepal would always welcome Chinese cooperation and assistance. Nepal has been upholding the one-China policy and will not allow any anti-China activities on its soil, Oli said.

Sun was also due to meet with Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, CPN (Unified Socialist) Chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal and other party leaders.