India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Chinese Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli are arriving in Kathmandu on August 10 and August 14 respectively.
This is first high level visit from both countries after the formation of Sher Bahadur Deuba-led coalition government.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) officials said Swaraj is arriving in Kathmandu on August 10 to participate in the BIMSTEC Ministerial meeting. During her visit, Swaraj will be meeting senior government officials including PM Deuba.
Similarly, Zhang Gaoli, the first-ranked Chinese Vice-Premier, is also arriving in Kathmandu on August 14 for a three-day visit. Gaoli is Nepal as well as South Asia point man of the Communist Party of China (CPC).
"The two back to back visits from both neighbours within a short span of time demonstrate their willingness to work with new government in Nepal as well as to secure their interests," said senior officials at Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Nepal is the current chair of the BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) and will convene the grouping’s fourth summit in Kathmandu later this year.
The meeting of the BIMSTEC foreign ministers is expected to finalise the date for the fourth summit and to assess and review progress made by the grouping. It will also chart the future course of the organisation whose secretariat is in the Bangladesh capital.
Established on June 6, 1997 through the Bangkok Declaration, BIMSTEC comprises seven states in the littoral and adjacent areas of the Bay of Bengal.
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