KATHMANDU, DECEMBER 27

A high-level delegation led by vice-minister of the Communist Party of China landed in the capital today.

Guo Yezhou, vice-minister of the International Department of the CPC, arrived in a chartered flight leading a four-member delegation.

Guo and his team met President Bidhya Devi Bhandari this evening and the meeting lasted almost an hour, said President Bhandari’s Chief Personal Secretary Bhesh Raj Adhikari.

A source in Pushpa Kamal Dahal-led Nepal Communist Party (NCP) told THT that the Chinese delegation was likely to meet NCP co-chairs Dahal and Madhav Kumar Nepal during their stay.

The visit of the Chinese delegation follows a split in the NCP triggered by KP Sharma Oli’s decision to dissolve the House of Representatives.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is yet to issue a statement on the Chinese delegation’s visit.

The Himalayan Times sent an SMS to Luan Xiutan, media liaison officer at the Chinese Embassy in Nepal, seeking names of the Chinese delegates and the purpose of the visit, but there was no response from him.

Chinese Ambassador Hou Yanqi had also met leaders of the NCP after the party suffered a split.

In recent months, Chinese Communist Party had sent its leaders to Nepal whenever intra-party feud deepened in the ruling Nepal Communist Party.

Ambassador Hou had also met all the influential leaders of the party. Political analysts had criticised Ambassador Hou for interfering in Nepal’s internal affairs.

Even today, demonstrations were held in Baluwatar against the Chinese delegation’s visit, with demonstrators chanting slogans such as ‘Stop Chinese interference’, ‘Back off China’, ‘Return encroached Nepali land to Nepal’, and ‘Stop casting evil eye on Sagarmatha’.