Kathmandu, March 22

Chinese President Xi Jinping is keen to visit Nepal at a mutually convenient date, the Embassy of Nepal in Beijing has stated.

President Xi expressed his desire to travel to Nepal when Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli extended a formal invitation to him during their meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Monday.

It is learnt that the Chinese side is trying to arrange President Xi Jinping’s stopover visit in Nepal when he travels to India for attending a BRICS Summit being held in Goa on October 15-16.

During his meeting with PM Oli, President Xi hoped that the promulgation of new constitution and formation of a new government would create a base for economic development, harmony and progress in Nepal.

He also reiterated China’s willingness to invest in Nepal and assist it in expanding trade and bridging the trade deficit, upgrading and expanding connectivity and promoting tourism between the two countries.

The two leaders shared that the strict observance of principles of peaceful co-existence contributed to the development of healthy state of friendly relationship between the two countries and committed to respecting each other’s sensitivities and concerns.

China’s state-run news agency Xinhua, meanwhile, reported that President Xi called for the two governments to carry forward the traditional friendship and expand practical cooperation to make the two nations a “community of common destiny”.

“As developing countries, China and Nepal are facing the historic missions of reform and development,” Xi said.

Regarding China-Nepal-India relationship, Xi said he hoped Nepal will benefit from development in China and India, adding that it is in the common interest of the two big neighbours that Nepal enjoys stability and development, Xinhua added.

“Nepal can be a bridge between China and India,” Xi is quoted as saying.

Oli told President Xi that Nepal had firmly stuck to the one-China policy and would not allow any force to conduct activities that will impair China’s interests.