Deputy Prime Minister Shrestha leaves for Kathmandu

-Special Correspondent Ashok Ghimire

 Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Narayankaji Shrestha has left for Kathmandu here today. He was seen off at the Tianfu International Airport in Chengdu by the Deputy Secretary General of the Sichuan Provincial Government, the Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) Committee and the Nepali Consul General in Chengdu Dinesh Kumar Ghimire.

During the visit, Deputy Prime Minister Shrestha held a bilateral meeting with China's Vice Premier He Lifeng and discussed trade, investment, tourism, connectivity and other issues of concern and interest between the two countries. Discussions were held about increasing China's cooperation in Nepal and on the issue of opening more trade and transit points and facilitating traffic on the Nepal-China border.

In the course of the visit, Deputy Prime Minister Shrestha addressed the 19th West China International Fair held in Chengdu as the keynote speaker sharing about the government of Nepal government's policy to encourage, promote and protect foreign investment and calling for investments from Chinese investors in Nepal.

Likewise, DPM Shrestha delivered a speech on Nepal-China relations at a program held at Sichuan University. He also discussed with the Sichuan Provincial Investment Group and called for increased investment in Nepal. In a discussion with the officials of Sichuan Airlines, he requested to increase flights on the Chengdu-Kathmandu route and to start flights from Chengdu to Pokhara and Bhairahawa international airports.

While in Chengdu, the Nepali delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Shrestha visited the post-quake reconstruction and seismic museum of Wenchuan County in Sichuan Province. The Nepali delegation also observed the Jinping hydropower station and the Dujiang irrigation system.

Deputy Prime Minister Shrestha arrived in China on Wednesday leading a seven-member Nepali delegation.

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