Chinese premier Zhu Rongji arrives in Nepal

0 Comments | Asian Political News, May 21, 2001

KATHMANDU, May 14 Kyodo

Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Rongji on Monday arrived in Nepal to a rousing welcome on the second leg of an Asian tour that will also take him to Maldives, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

Alighting from a special plane at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Zhu was received by Nepalese Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, while 19 guns boomed to salute him. He was then presented with an honor guard.

The Chinese premier was accompanied by his wife Lao An, Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan and Economic Cooperation Minister Shi Guangsheng, as well as senior banking and trade officials. The group arrived from Lahore in Pakistan after concluding a four-day visit.

In a written statement on arrival Zhu said, ''My visit to Nepal is aimed at consolidating our traditional friendship and intensifying mutually beneficial cooperation.''

The visit will ''contribute to closer friendship and cooperation between our two countries and peoples and to elevating China-Nepal relations onto a higher level,'' he said in the statement.

Saying that friendly relations between China and Nepal have enjoyed sustained, healthy and stable development, Zhu added, ''In the new century we will work further to develop the good-neighborly partnership so that it will grow in strength from generation to generation.''

The Chinese premier will witness the signing of several collaborative agreements, including one for Chinese assistance for a new highway linking the two countries through the Himalayas.

Other agreements cover Chinese assistance in building a polytechnic institute and a hospital for civil servants in Kathmandu.

Nepal and China will also sign memorandums of understanding on avoidance of double taxation and tax evasion, as well as tourism promotion between the two countries.

Zhu will hold official talks with Koirala later Monday, and call on Nepalese King Birendra on Tuesday.

The use of the Chinese currency in financial transactions in Nepal, measures to reduce the trade deficit, opening more border points to intensify trade activities, and bilateral concerns will be addressed during the talks, a Nepalese Foreign Ministry official said.

The Chinese premier is also scheduled to travel to the adjoining Patan City to visit the historic Palace Square on Tuesday.

Zhu's visits to Nepal and the four other countries through May 22 are his first to the five since he became Chinese premier in March 1998.

He leaves Wednesday for the Maldives in the Indian Ocean.