• Meeting with Xi likely on sidelines •Beijing trip uncertain

Kathmandu, March 15

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has confirmed his participation in Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference-2017, which is being held in Hainan province of China from March 23 to 26.

According to the PM’s Press Adviser Govinda Acharya, Dahal is set to leave for Boao Conference on March 23, and scheduled to address it on March 24.

His official visit to Beijing via Boao is yet to be confirmed, as officials from both sides are working on his itinerary and agenda, according to the PM’s Foreign Relations Adviser Rishi Raj Adhikari.

A foreign ministry source, however, told THT that the PM’s Beijing tour would be contingent upon his likely meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. “If the PM can hold meeting with President Xi in Beijing, he would fly there. Otherwise, he won’t,” the source added. An official added that it was likely that the PM would meet the Chinese president on the sidelines of Boao Conference in Hainan province itself.

This will be Dahal’s first visit to the northern neighbour since he became Prime Minister in August 2016.

If his bilateral visit is confirmed, all Nepal-China agreements that were inked during the then PM KP Sharma Oli’s visit to Beijing in March last year would be taken up for smooth execution. Some new deals could also be discussed and sealed, according to Adhikari.

The foreign ministry has been coordinating with relevant agencies to finalise the agenda for the visit.