Kathmandu, August 14

A high level delegation led by Vice-premier of China Wang Yang arrived in Kathmandu today.

This is the highest level visit from the northern neighbor in the last five years, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Former premier of China Wen Jiabao had visited Nepal in 2012.

Wang is one of the four Chinese vice premiers, who also holds some important positions in the Communist Party of China.

A special plane carrying entourage led by Wang landed at 6:14pm at Tribhuvan International Airport. He arrived in Nepal after completing his visit to Pakistan.

Minister of  Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Jitendra Narayan Dev, Chinese ambassador to Nepal Yu Hong and other high level officials welcomed Wang and his delegates at the TIA.

As per MoFA Spokesperson, Bharat Raj Paudel, Vice-premier Wang is scheduled to attend the opening ceremony of the nine-story Basantapur Durbar Restoration Project tomorrow. The project is funded by the Chinese government.

He will hold delegation-level bilateral talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Federal Affairs and Local Development Bijay Kumar Gachchhadar in the afternoon.

“This visit will be very important for post-quake reconstruction and development of Nepal,” said Paudel. He said the visit would be important from the perspective of implementation of past agreements reached between the two countries.

Nepal has signed the Belt and Road Initiative, a development initiative introduced by China as well as the transit and transport treaty with its northern neighbor.

He said that Vice-premier Wang and his delegates would call on President Bidhya Devi Bhandari and Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, on Wednesday.

Vice-premier Wang is also scheduled to meet senior leaders of the three majorpolitical parties — the Nepali Congress, the CPN-UML and the CPN-Maoist Centre. He and his delegation will also visit the National Ayurveda Research and Training Centre in Kirtipur on Wednesday.

The Vice-premier’s delegation will return to Beijing on August 17, according to the MoFA.