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Chinese official holds talks on Nepal crisis
Guo Yezhou, vice minister in the international department of the CPC, is the most senior foreign official to visit Nepal since Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli last Sunday dissolved parliament and called for early parliamentary election.
A senior official of the Chinese Communist Party on Sunday met Nepal’s President Bidya Devi Bhandari as part of efforts to resolve a rift between factions of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP).
Guo Yezhou, vice minister in the international department of the CPC, is the most senior foreign official to visit Nepal since Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli last Sunday dissolved parliament and called for early parliamentary election.
Oli’s shock move triggered deep political unrest and street protests in Nepal and left the NCP on the verge of a split.
Guo, who personally knows all senior NCP leaders, is expected to meet Oli, former prime minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, foreign minister Pradeep Gyawali, leaders of the party faction led by Prachanda, and Janata Samajwadi Party leader Baburam Bhattarai.
His visit follows unsuccessful efforts by Chinese envoy Hou Yanqi to resolve the impasse.
Guo will assess the situation and encourage NCP leaders to seek “some kind of common ground for party unity”, The Kathmandu Post reported citing political leaders.
China’s efforts are in marked contrast to the position taken by India on Oli’s decision to dissolve parliament and call snap elections. New Delhi has said this is an internal matter that should be handled in keeping with Nepal’s democratic processes. China has poured millions of dollars into Nepal as aid, and infrastructure investment as part of President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative.
(With agency inputs)
