DPM Pokhrel leaves for China

KATHMANDU: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Ishwar Pokhrel, has left for Beijing, capital of the People’s Republic of China, today, on a week-long visit. He will take part in the Beijing Xiangsten Forum.

The forum is an international military conference and DPM Pokhrel is attending the event at the invitation of Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe.

In the forum, he will speak on ‘UN peace keeping mission: challenges and cooperation’ amidst the participation of 15 defence ministers, 40 army chiefs, and delegates from 100 countries, according to Lokendra KC, the Defence Minister’s press coordinator.

This is the Defence Minister’s maiden foreign visit after his appointment to the post. Defence Secretary Bishnu Prasad Lamsal saw off the Defence Minister at Tribhuvan International Airport today.

It is stated that an agreement -- on China’s assistance of 150 million Chinese Yuan to the Nepal Army for mobilisation in disaster management -- will also be signed during the visit.

DPM Pokhrel will return home on October 30.