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Kathmandu Wednesday May 16, 2001 Jestha 03, 2058.
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Chinese PM
meets HM, politicians
Post Report
KATHMANDU, May 15 –
Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji spent his second day in Nepal visiting top government
officials, business leaders and also sought an audience with His Majesty King Birendra at
the Royal Palace today.
Rongji, who is on a three-day
goodwill visit to the Himalayan Kingdom, arrived yesterday with a large Chinese delegation
comprising ministers and officials.
Speaker of the House of
Representatives Taranath Ranabhat and Chairman of the National Assembly Dr Mohammad
Mohasin were among the prominent personalities who paid a courtesy call to the Chinese
Premier Zhu Rongji today.
Among others who met him
today were Madhav Kumar Nepal, leader of the opposition and General Secretary of the
CPN-UML, and Pradip Kumar Shrestha President of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of
Commerce and Industry (FNCCI).
UML General Secretary Nepal
was accompanied by representatives from the party’s politburo and the foreign affairs
department. Premier Rongji remarked that the relationship between the two neighbours has
been good ever since the establishment of diplomatic relations.
PM Rongji also thanked Nepal
for its continued support to China on Tibet and Taiwan, said the release, adding, that the
Chinese Premier had expressed the hope that the relations between the two parties
(Communist Party of China and the UML) based on equality, non-interference, mutual respect
and cooperation would be still stronger.
The UML General Secretary
reteirated the country’s support to China on Tibet and Taiwan and expressed the view
that integration of Taiwan should be peaceful. He also said that Nepal wanted to work
closely with its neighbour in the UNO and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).
The UML leader also urged the
Chinese Premier for his country’s greater investment in Nepal and sought help for the
Kathmandu-Hetauda tunnel road and for the Kimathanka-Simikot-Taklakot road.
Rongji, added the release,
replied that once the projects for which agreements were signed yesterday were completed,
the Chinese would take interests in other projects as well.
Later in the afternoon, the
Chinese Premier, accompanied by his wife Lao An, went to Patan Durbar Square and stayed
there for nearly an hour.
In the evening, Premier
Rongji went to meet His Majesty King Birendra at the Royal Palace where he was received in
audience by the Monarch and Her Majesty Queen Aishwarya. Their Majesties also hosted a
dinner in honour of the guests.
The Chinese delegation is
leaving on Wednesday.
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