According to a senior source at the Prime Minister’s Office, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is planning a formal visit to China between the last week of November and early December.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is currently making the necessary arrangements, coinciding with the government’s completion of its first 100 days in office.
This visit would mark Oli’s first trip to China since he took office for his fourth term in mid-July. Recently, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, Oli met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and invited him to visit Nepal.
Although Modi’s visit to Nepal appears unlikely soon, and Oli has not scheduled an immediate visit to India, efforts are advancing for his trip to China.
“There is a strong possibility that the Prime Minister will visit China in November, though dates are not yet confirmed,” a source shared.
The Nepali Embassy in China is coordinating the groundwork to ensure a productive visit. In a related diplomatic effort, Foreign Minister Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba recently met with Modi in Delhi on August 19 to extend Oli’s invitation to visit Nepal.
During the UNGA session, Oli also had a brief meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Although they did not discuss an official visit to China, Oli has since consulted with foreign policy advisors to initiate the preparations. According to insiders, the Chinese embassy in Kathmandu has received unofficial notice of Oli’s interest, and Chinese leaders have suggested November as a potential timeframe, pending further confirmation.
Oli’s previous visit to China in 2018 included signing significant agreements, such as advancing the Kerung-Kathmandu railway project and joining the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to enhance connectivity through infrastructure projects, including ports, railways, and communication systems. The new agreements aimed to foster Chinese investment by easing regulatory policies and creating a more favorable business environment for Chinese companies.
The Nepali government hopes that Oli’s upcoming trip will revitalize these prior commitments, pushing forward the implementation of infrastructure and investment agreements from 2018. Foreign Minister Deuba is likely to make a preparatory visit to China, with final arrangements currently under discussion to support the visit.
Amid uncertainty surrounding an Indian visit, Oli’s China visit has garnered significant attention in Kathmandu’s diplomatic circles. Following consultations with key advisors, he instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to pursue his visit, indicating a focus on deepening Nepal-China relations through renewed partnerships and enhanced bilateral cooperation.
