CPN-UML Chair KP Sharma Oli met Li Zhanshu, speaker of the Chinese National People’s Congress, on Tuesday morning.

Li Zhanshu has been on a Nepal visit starting Monday. Oli and Li met at the Parliament Building in Baneshwor.

“During the meeting, Li conveyed that Chinese President Xi Jinping wished for Oli’s health,” informed UML leader and Head of Foreign Affairs Department Rajan Bhattarai. Li said that China attached high importance to Nepal. In the delegation level meeting, bilateral issues were also discussed, said Bhattarai.

“Chinese leader Li expressed his commitment to implementing the previous agreements between Nepal and China.”

According to Bhattarai, Li stated China’s desire to expand bilateral ties. “He further wished that Nepal, a free and sovereign nation, would choose its own foreign policy.”

In his discussion with Chinese leader Li, UML chair Oli reaffirmed his commitment to a One-China policy. “Our party chair reaffirmed Nepal’s commitment not to allow its territory to be used against China or other friendly nations,” Bhattarai said.

UML President Oli also stressed the importance of implementing agreements on BRI, infrastructure, and transport. Oli further emphasised that Nepal supports non-alignment policy and that this is the country’s foreign policy, said UML leader Bhattarai.

He underlined that there was no talk about the potential communist alliance in the election announced for November 20. “During the meeting, internal party politics were not brought up.”

After meeting UML chair Oli, the visiting Chinese delegation led by the Chinese speaker Li met the chair of CPN (Maoist Center) Pushpa Kamal Dahal in the Parliament Building in Baneshwor.

Speakers of the National Assembly Ganesh Prasad Timilsina and the Chinese People's Congress Li met at Parliament House before meeting Oli and Dahal. All the meetings took place at a delegation level.

The delegation of National Assembly leaders present for the meeting with Li in the Federal Parliament Building was led by National Assembly Chair Timilshina. According to Speaker Timilsina's secretariat, the Nepali side stressed three key points at the meeting between Speaker Li of the Chinese National Assembly.

“The Nepali side emphasised development of bilateral ties, and reaffirmed support for the One-China policy. Similarly, the Nepali delegation has asked that the border between the two nations be opened before Dashain.”

The Chinese side, led by Li, committed to taking the initiative to open the border, said the secretariat of National Assembly Chair Timilsina.

The Chinese side also emphasised legislative and multilateral partnerships, including BRI. A similar request to speed Chinese projects in Nepal was made by the team led by Li, according to the office of National Assembly Speaker Timilsina.

Li is scheduled to meet Foreign Minister Narayan Khadka at Soaltee Hotel and Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba at Baluwatar later today.