Wang concludes his visit

Kathmandu, Aug. 17: Chinese Vice-Premier Wang Yang concluded his 4-day official visit to Nepal on Thursday and left for Beijing.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Krishna Bahadur Mahara, Minister for Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation Jitendra Narayan Dev, Foreign Secretary Shankar Das Bairagi and Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Yu Hong bade farewell to Vice-Premier Wang in the morning at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA).

Vice-Premier Yang had arrived in Kathmandu on Monday leading a 21-member Chinese delegation.

During his meeting with Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on Wednesday, he had extended an invitation, on behalf of Chinese President Xi Jinping, to the Nepali PM to visit China.

Responding to his invitation, PM Deuba had thanked China for the invitation and said he would visit the northern neighbour at an appropriate time.

During Yang's visit, Nepal and China signed three agreements on enhancing economic and technical cooperation, promoting Chinese investment in Nepal, and on petroleum exploration.

The two countries signed the Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation, Framework Agreement on Promotion of Investment Economic Cooperation, and Letters of Exchange for Oil and Gas Resources Exploration in Nepal.

As per the agreement, China will provide an assistance of Rs. 15 billion for upgrading of the Arniko Higway and construction of a bridge at Timure of Rasuwa district.

Likewise, the northern neighbour will extend support of Rs. 2.25 billion for petroleum exploration.

The Yang-led delegation had held discussion on bilateral cooperation in trade, tourism, investment, infrastructure development, energy, cross-border connectivity and people-to-people relations with DPM and Minister for Federal Affairs and Local Development Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar.

Both sides had agreed to enhance the functions and facilities at the Nepal-China border ports.

The two neighbours have also agreed on joint cooperation and collaboration in promoting Nepal’s tourism in China this year under ‘Nepal Tourism Promotion Year in China’ announced by the Chinese government.

Yang had also extended US$ 1 million in humanitarian assistance to Nepal for the flood-affected people.

The Vice-Premier had also called on President Bidya Devi Bhandari on Wednesday.

He also met with the leader of the main opposition party, the CPN-UML, and former prime minister KP Sharma Oli and chair of the CPN-MC and former PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda.

He also commenced the restoration of the 9-storey palace at the Basantapur Durbar Square, and also visited the National Ayurveda Research and Training Centre at Kirtipur.