Chinese Defence Minister in Nepal to bolster ties

Kathmandu, November 29

China’s Defence Minister Gen Wei Fenghe arrived here on Sunday to meet Nepal’s top leadership and bolster military cooperation and take the existing friendly bilateral relations to a new height.

Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa welcomed him at the Tribhuvan International Airport, according to the state-run Nepal Television.

The Chinese Defence Minister, also a State Councillor, told reporters that his visit aimed at implementing bilateral understandings reached between the two governments in the past. Wei said the visit will promote bilateral military cooperation between Nepal and China, and take the existing friendly relations between the two neighbours to a new height. This is the highest-level visit from China after President Xi Jinping’s two-day state visit that took place in October last year.

According to Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Wei will pay courtesy calls on President Bidhya Devi Bhandari and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli during his brief stay in Kathmandu. He is also scheduled to meet Nepal’s Chief of Army Staff General Purna Chandra Thapa. — PTI