HEADLINE NEWS THE RISING NEPAL (DAILY)

Their Majesties leaving for China today

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Feb. 25: His Majesty King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, along with Her Majesty Queen Aishwarya Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah, is leaving for China tomorrow for a week-long State Visit at the invitation of the Chinese President Jiang Zemin. This is the third State Visit of Their Majesties to China – the earlier two were in December 1973 and in September 1993.

Besides the two state visits, His Majesty the King has also visited China six times in the past on the official level and as goodwill, private and friendly visits.

All these visits made by the Nepalese monarch have been instrumental in promoting and strengthening relations between the two countries. The significance of all these visits is that they are accorded very high importance by the Chinese government.

Prof. Yubraj Singh Pradhan, who was Nepal’s former ambassador to China, says it is a great honour accorded to His Majesty to be the Guest of Honour in the inaugural ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia to be held in the Hainan province of China.

"Making Nepalese Monarch the Guest of Honour at such an important Forum indicates the great importance China gives to the geo-political situation of Nepal," said the former ambassador.

He also said that China has always taken the Nepalese King as a continuing factor of friendship and relationship between the two countries.

Prof. Panna Kaji Amatya also said the present visit of the King carries more weight than the previous visits made by the King.

"The visit is taking place when the domestic situation is marred by several anomalies and the King advice will be taken note of by all the political parties of the countries," said Amatya. Moreover, Amatya said, this visit is taking place at a time when Nepal’s contact with its northern neighbour is at low ebb.

"We need to expand contacts and interactions with our northern neighbour, not to counterbalance Nepal’s relations and contacts with its southern neighbour, but solely for the benefit of our two countries," said Amatya.

Prof. Pradhan also said our friendship and good relation with China would be an asset in time of difficulties and crisis.

Both the intellectuals said several concrete steps have been taken in the last few years to expand Nepal’s relations with China and the present visit of His Majesty will consolidate that relation further.

Amatya said till now Nepal-China relations have been confined mainly at the government level. That relation needs to be expanded to other sectors, at the non-government level and on the economic front, he said. They said there have also been indications of China extending co-operation in military training.

However, both said in the future the Nepal-China should work to further trade and investment and also in tourism. On the economic front some work has been done after the formation of the Nepal-China Non-governmental Forum in 1996. Recently, the two countries are thinking of opening new routes to expand trade between the two countries.

Pradhan said with China adopting the capitalist economic policy and the country continuing to attain remarkable economic growth, it could be a very big market for Nepalese tourism. He said China is even opening a tourism bureau in Nepal so that more Chinese could visit Nepal.

Amatya said besides consolidating the existing ties, the present visit of the Nepalese King has given indications about the further expansion of economic relations between the two countries.

RSS adds: Nepal-China relations have been marked by exchange of visits at the highest level ever since the establishment of diplomatic ties in l955.

It may be recalled that the first state visit paid to China by a head of state of Nepal was by His late Majesty King Mahendra in 1961.

Apart from the state visits, Their Majesties also paid an official visit to China in September l987 at the friendly invitation of president Li Xian-Nian and Madam Lin Jia Mei, and a goodwill visit in June l976.

Their Majesties also paid a week-long visit to China in August of l996 at the friendly invitation of Chinese President Jiang Zemin.

Their Majesties paid a private visit to China in May l978 en route to Japan, and another private visit there in August l979 when Their Majesties were en route to the sixth Non-Aligned Summit Conference in Havana.

His Majesty also visited China in l966 when His Majesty was the then Crown Prince.

Visits to China paid by other Nepalese leaders include those by Prime Minister Tanka Prasad Acharya, Prime Minister B.P. Koirala, Prime Minister Kirtinidhi Bista, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, Prime Minister Man Mohan Adhikari and Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba.

Similarly, visits paid to Nepal from the Chinese side include those paid by Premier Chou En-Lai, Deng Xiaoping, President Li Xiannian, Premier Zhao Ziyang, Premier Li Peng, Chairman Li Ruihuan and the state visit paid by President Jiang Zemin as recently as l996.

As His Majesty the King observed at the end of Their Majesties’ second state visit to China in l993, its objective was to consolidate good relations subsisting between the two countries, and it was an opportunity to review friendship between two friendly countries.

The highlights of the state visit starting tomorrow will be the meetings His Majesty the King will have with President Jiang Zemin. Top Chinese leaders including Premier Zhu Rongji, vice President Hu Jintao and Chairman Li Peng of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress will have separate audiences with His Majesty.

His Majesty will also attend the Boao Forum for Asia inaugural ceremony at Boao, Hainan Province as a guest of honour.

Relations between Nepal and China have been based on Panchasheel and Nepal has been a consistent supporter of Beijing’s one China policy regarding Taiwan.

China has played a key role in Nepal’s economic development, including through the construction of infrastructure such as highways and factories, and through the opportunities made available for training Nepalese doctors and engineers at Chinese institutes of higher learning.

The state visit starting tomorrow takes on added importance in view of the changing times characterised by the emergence of China as an economic power house as well as change in the Tibet Autonomous Region foreshadowed by the proposed improved transport link between Lhasa and Shanghai.

China’s wish to enter the world trade organisation and Nepal’s own aspirations towards WTO membership give the two neighbouring countries something still more in common.

Royal visits to China

SN Name Date Type Remarks

1 His Late Majesty King Mahendra Sept.28-Oct.15, 1961 State

2 His Majesty the King (as Crown Prince) June-July 1966

3 Their Majesties the King and Queen Dec. 7-13,1973 State

4 His Majesty the King June 2-9 1976 Goodwill Senchaun Province and Tibet AR

5 Their Majesties the King and Queen May 14-15, 1978 Private En route to Japan

6 Their Majesties the King and Queen August 26-29, 1979 Private En route to Havana

7 Their Majesties the King and Queen July 27 August 3, 1982Friendly Gansu Province and Tibet AR

8 Their Majesties the King and Queen Sept. 14-17, 1987 Official Lanzhou, Beijing

9 Their Majesties the King and Queen Sept. 20-27, 1993 State Beijing, Xian, Guittin, Selmzhen

10 Their Majesties the King and Queen August 23-30, 1996 - Beijing, Lhasa and Chongqing

11 HRH the Crown Prince Dipendra Oct. 25-Nov. 2, 1994 Official

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