Kathmandu, August 30:

A team of Nepali Congress leaders led by vice-president Prakash Man Singh left for China today on the invitation of the Chinese Communist Party.

Other members of the team are Sujata Koirala, Dr Minendra Rijal, and Dr Narayan Khadka, Pushpa Bhusal and Shambhu Ram Simkhada.

During the week-long tour, the Nepali Congress

leaders will visit Lhasa, a part of the Tibet Autonomous Region, Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu and Ling Jhi.

The Congress leaders will hold dialogue with top leaders of the Chinese Communist Party on ways to boost the inter-party relations. While in Lhasa, the team will interact with authorities of the Autonomous Region Development Reform Commission and Ethnic and Religious bureau, according to the Nepali Congress central office. The team will also visit the Potala Palace and Great Wall of China in Lhase and Beijing respectively. Leaders and cadres of the Nepali Congress saw the team off at the Tribhuvan International Airport.

Chinese ambassador to Nepal Zheng Xiangling was also present at the airport.

Speaking to Chinese ambassador Zheng, Singh said the past visits of Nepali Congress leaders to the country had built an important foundation for the promotion of mutual cooperation between the two countries in various ways.

Nepali Congress Constituent Assembly member Jeevan Prem Shrestha said such visits played a crucial role to enhance relations between the parties of the two countries.

The team is expected to return to Kathmandu on September 6.