Kathmandu, Oct. 10 (IANS): Preparations are in full swing in Kathmandu to welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping who arrives here on Saturday on a two-day state visit to Nepal.
Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli's Foreign Affairs Advisor Rajan Bhattarai said the visit of the Chinese President to Nepal will be a historic one as such a high level visit is taking place after 23 years.
In an interaction on Wednesday in Kathmandu, Bhattarai argued that such a visit would further harmonise bilateral relations between the two nations at the people-to-people level.
Bhattarai said that various agreements are set to be inked during the visit. The Chinese special delegates led by President Xi would hold delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Oli during the state visit.
Former Minister for Foreign Affairs Prakash Sharan Mahat, also a leader of the main opposition Nepali Congress, said his party would welcome the visit.
He said the government should pay attention to implementing China's Belt and Road Initiative projects.
Xi is visiting Kathmandu on the invitation of President Bidya Devi Bhandari.
During the visit, Xi will meet with Bhandari, who will host a banquet in honour of the Chinese President and his delegation.
"President Xi will hold delegation level official talks with Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli," said the ministry.
"Following the talks, both leaders will witness the signing of bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding."
During his stay in Kathmandu, senior Nepali leaders will also call on Xi.
Xi will be flying to Kathmandu from Mamallapuram near Chennai in India where the Chinese President and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be meeting on October 11 and 12 for the second 'informal summit' after the Wuhan Summit in April last year.
The last visit by a Chinese President to Nepal was 23 years ago, by Jiang Zemin in 1996.
Various places in the capital, including, Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), Tinkune, Baneshwar, Babarmahal, Naxal, Tripureshwar, Bhadrakali, Kesharmahal, Durbarmarga, Sundhara, Nagpokhari, Hattisar, Kalimati, Solteemode have been decorated to welcome the Chinese leader.
