Kathmandu, January 12

CPN-Maoist Centre leader Agni Sapkota claimed today that Chinese President Xi Jinping is likely to visit Nepal in the second week of April.

“President Xi will visit  Nepal in the second week of April 2018 as per schedule prepared by Chinese foreign ministry,” said Sapkota at a programme  organised by Bhotekoshi and Barabise municipalities and Sindhupalchowk chapter of FNCCI in Kathmandu today.

Sapkota, who is a member of the Parliament from Sindhupalchowk, said Tatopani border would resume within three months of the formation of a new government.

“As per my conversation with Chinese authorities, we should address their security concerns. Tibet is a sensitive issue for China. We should address that and other concerns through appropriate diplomatic channel,” he added.

Tatopani border has been closed since the devastating earthquakes struck Nepal in April 2015.

Nepal’s Ambassador to China Leela Mani Paudyal said he had been making efforts to open Tatopani border and the new government should talk to the Chinese government in this regard.

According to Arun Nepal, a member of the provincial assembly who represents Sindhupalchowk, 45 tourist hotels and 350 small hotels in and around Tatopani have remaned shut since the earthquakes.

He said 1,400 vehicle entrepreneurs suffered losses and 2,800 labourers were rendered jobless after the border was closed in the aftermath of earthquakes.

Local entrepreneurs have been demanding that the Nepal-China border should be reopened as soon as possible.

Politicians, bureaucrats, diplomats and local entrepreneurs participated in the interaction.