Prachanda meets Chinese Prez

KATHMANDU: Chairman of Unified CPN Maoist Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' met Chinese President and general secretary of Chinese Communist Party Hu Jintao at Jinan- capital of east China's Shandong Province, this afternoon.

President Hu was there to attend the opening ceremony of the 11th Chinese National Games.

According to party sources the four-member team of the main opposition party led by Prachanda discussed on the relationship between the two countries and the two parties.

"The leaders took part in serious discussion on South Asian political situation on the changed global political context. They also dwelt upon on the security situation of the two countries," a party source, said.

During the meeting, Dahal had insisted on developing a strong relationship with the two neighbours and the two parties.

Sources also claimed that Dahal had also apprised President Hu of the contemporary political scenario in Nepal in their 30-minute long talks.

While heading to Beijing last Sunday, Dahal had said he wanted the support of the neighbouring countries to resolve the festering political problems in the country. He had said that Maoists were for maintaining an equidistance policy on India and China.

UCPN Maoist sources claimed that the Chinese Premier and high-level government officials were also present at the meeting in which they deliberated on a host of issues ranging from mutual relationship, security and the changing geopolitics in South Asia, among others.

The Nepali team had reached Jinan to meet the high-level leadership of China.

Meanwhile, Nepali Ambassador to China Tanka Karki said he was unaware of the itinerary trip of the Maoist delegation to China.

"I had received them on Sunday and the next day leader Krishna Bahadur Mahara had called me but after that I am unaware of their visit," he said over telephone.

Earlier the Maoist leaders had met the third ranking leader of the CPC Jia Qinglin, who is also the chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, on October 12.

The team also visited various historically important sites of China including the great wall and the birthplace of Mao.


Meanwhile, Prakash Dahal has informed that during their 30-minute-long unofficial meeting, the Chinese President Hu had told Prachanda that China would support Nepal for the peace, stability and development.

President Hu had also said that the communist parties of the two countries should organise regular meetings to strengthen their relationship.

On the occasion, the Maoist leaders had also attended the 11th National games along with President Hu.

The Maoist leaders had left Hunan later on a plane and arrived at Jinan, sources said.