China has said it stands ready to work with Nepal to take the visit of Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha as an opportunity to further deliver on the important common understandings between leaders of the two countries and deepen political mutual trust.

The Chinese foreign ministry also said the northern neighbour wants to pursue high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, expand exchanges and cooperation in various areas and strive for new progress in building China-Nepal strategic partnership of cooperation featuring ever-lasting friendship for development and prosperity.

Responding to a query about China’s expectation of the visit at a regular press conference on Friday, China’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian said, “In recent years, our two countries maintained close high-level exchanges with deepening practical cooperation in various fields.”

He also added that the two sides maintained close coordination and collaboration in regional and international affairs. “Last September, Prime Minister (Pushpa Kamal Dahal) Prachanda paid an official visit to China and leaders of the two countries reached important common understandings on growing the China-Nepal relations,” he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Shrestha is paying an official visit to China from March 25 to April 1 at the invitation of a Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi.

Also, Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs made the official announcement of the visit on Friday.