KATHMANDU, Aug 30: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is leaving for China on Saturday morning to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Tianjin.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Oli will fly to China on a chartered Himalayan Airlines flight at 7 AM, leading a 23-member Nepali delegation. The prime minister had briefed the House of Representatives on Friday about his five-day official visit, which will run from August 31 to September 4.
Joining the delegation will be Oli’s spouse Radhika Shakya, former deputy prime minister and lawmaker Purna Bahadur Khadka, Minister for Education, Science and Technology Raghuji Pant, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Badri Prasad Pandey, former finance minister and the PM’s economic advisor Dr. Yuba Raj Khatiwada, former minister and lawmaker Chhabilal Bishwakarma and senior government officials.
The SCO, a permanent intergovernmental organization, was established in June 2001 in Shanghai by Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. It currently has nine member states, three observer states and 14 dialogue partners including Nepal.
Addressing the parliament meeting on Friday, Prime Minister Oli said that the primary purpose of his upcoming China visit is to attend the SCO Summit, one of the world’s largest regional organizations. Nepal has been a dialogue partner since 2016, along with countries such as Turkey, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
During the visit, Oli is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with leaders of six countries, including Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin. He will address the SCO Plus Summit on September 1 in Tianjin and hold sideline meetings with several world leaders.
Although Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also attending the summit, Oli did not comment on whether a bilateral meeting with him has been confirmed. However, sources at the MOFA said efforts are being made to arrange one. Nepal is a dialogue partner of the SCO, while India is a full member.
The visit comes amid controversy at home after India and China recently agreed to reopen trade through Lipulekh, a territory claimed by Nepal. Lawmakers in parliament earlier this week urged Oli to raise the Lipulekh issue during his meetings with the Chinese and Indian leaders. Speaking to journalists on Friday, Oli said he would bring up the matter during his high-level talks in China.
Prime Minister Oli is also scheduled to attend the 80th anniversary of China’s victory in the World War and the War of Resistance in Beijing on September 18, an event expected to draw participants from more than 50 countries. Oli expressed confidence that the visit would help strengthen Nepal-China relations, enhance Nepal’s global profile, and promote the country’s priorities at the international level.
Prime Minister Oli is scheduled to return to Kathmandu on September 4. This will be his second China visit as prime minister, following his official trip in December 2024.