Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is embarking on his second visit to China on Saturday, this time to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025 in Tianjin at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Wednesday.

Earlier, Oli paid an official visit to China in December last year.

Besides attending the SCO summit, the prime minister will attend a commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War on September 3 before leaving for Kathmandu.

Currently Nepal is a dialogue partner in the SCO but is seeking observer status in the regional bloc, which brings together countries from Asia and Europe. The prime minister will pitch for Nepal’s upgrade from dialogue partner to observer during his meeting with SCO leaders, said officials.

This is the first time Nepal is taking part in an event against Japan at the highest political level in foreign land. Earlier the Chinese side had invited President Ramchandra Paudel to attend the same ceremony but he declined due to Nepal’s close ties with Japan. Paudel is also the recipient of the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun in 2022 being awarded by the Japanese government.

Beijing and Tokyo are exchanging heated debate over China’s planned event.

According to the Japanese official news agency, Kyodo, the Japanese government asked European and Asian countries to refrain from attending a military parade and other events that China will hold next month to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

However it is not clear that the Japanese side has made a similar request with the Nepal government. The Japanese Embassy in Kathmandu did not respond to an email sent by the Post asking if the Japanese government had sent a similar request to the government of Nepal asking not to attend the ceremony in Beijing.

Until 2005, Japanese officials used to attend such events in Beijing, said a foreign ministry official. Before issuing a press statement, extensive discussions were held in the ministry on whether to mention the words “Victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War” due to Japan’s close partnership with Nepal. Japan is one of the oldest developmental partners of Nepal, helping Nepal in multiple ways since 1954.

“Japan seeks to prevent China’s interpretation of history from spreading, with the parade slated to be held in Beijing's Tiananmen Square on Sept 3 to commemorate what Beijing calls its victory in the 1937-1945 ‘War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression’ and the ‘World Anti-Fascist War,’” says the news report.

According to sources, Japan conveyed to other nations through its embassies abroad that China’s commemorative events have anti-Japanese overtones, and participation of leaders should be carefully considered, reads the news report by Kyodo attributing the Japanese government officials.

Foreign Ministry officials did not confirm whether the ministry had received the communication from the Japanese side as reported by the official Japanese news agency.

Responding to a query, during a regular press briefing in Beijing, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Tuesday said, “China noted this, has lodged protests with Japan, and asked for clarification.”

The Chinese government will host commemorative events marking the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War to remember history, honor the martyrs, cherish peace and usher in a brighter future, said Guo Jiakun, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson during the press conference in Beijing.

“Countries that face up to history honestly and sincerely, learn from history, and truly commit themselves to peaceful development will not have misgivings about the events or even raise objections.”

“... If Japan truly wants to turn this page on historical issues, it should face squarely and reflect on its history of aggression with sincerity, make a clean break with militarism, stick to the path of peaceful development, and respect the sentiments of people from China and other victim countries, so as to earn the trust of its Asian neighbors and the international community,” said the spokesperson of the Chinese foreign ministry.

According to the foreign ministry, Prime Minister Oli is scheduled to meet President Xi of China in Tianjin where the SCO Summit is being organised.

Prime Minister Oli will address the SCO Plus Summit in Tianjin on September 1, said the ministry. There is also a proposal from the Chinese side to have a trilateral meeting between Oli, Modi and Xi but it is still under consideration. “The proposal is there but no understanding has been reached yet,” the foreign ministry official told the Post.

The prime minister will also meet other world leaders on the sidelines of the SCO summit. Officials said a request has been sent for a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Oli, at the invitation of Modi, is scheduled to visit India next month.

Regarding the meeting with Modi and Xi, Minister for Communication and Information Technology Prithvi Subba Gurung has said that questions should be raised with both India and China over their agreement to undertake bilateral trade through Lipulekh pass. Last week, India and China reached an agreement to reopen the trade via the pass, which historically belongs to Nepal.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Gurung, who is also the government spokesperson, also accused China of taking an unclear stance on the border agreement with Nepal despite knowing that the Lipulekh region belongs to Nepal.

He said, “Our question regarding Lipulekh, Kalapani, and Limpiyadhura is no longer just for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. We also have questions for Chinese President Xi Jinping or Li Qiang, the premier of China.”

Gurung added, “There are many agreements between Nepal and China and in those, it is clear that Lipulekh belongs to us.”

He further mentioned that the issue would be discussed during the upcoming visit of Prime Minister Oli. “Even on the matter of trade, China has not taken a clear position. We plan to hold a brief discussion on this issue during Prime Minister Oli’s upcoming visit,” he said.

The foreign ministry said the prime minister will also meet with Han Zheng, vice president of China, in Beijing on September 2.

Oli’s entourage will include Raghuji Pant, Minister for Education, Science and Technology; Badri Prasad Pandey, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation; Purna Bahadur Khadka, Member of the Parliament; Yuba Raj Khatiwada, Economic and Development Advisor to the Prime Minister; Chhabilal Bishwakarma, Member of Parliament; and high-ranking government officials. Oli and his delegation will return to Kathmandu on September 3.