PHOTOS: Chinese FM Yi arrives in Nepal

KATHMANDU, March 25: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived at Kathmandu this afternoon.

Leading the 19-member team, Yi will be staying in Nepal for three days.

Yi was welcomed by his Nepali counterpart Narayan Khadka at the Tribhuvan International Airport.

Security in the Kathmandu Valley has been tightened amid the visit of Chinese FM YI. Yi will be staying in Dwarika Hotel in Kathmandu.

Minister Yi is scheduled to call on President Bidya Devi Bhandari and Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba.

Likewise, Narayan Khadka, Minister of Foreign Affairs will be holding a meeting with his counterpart on March 26. 

Besides, Yi is also scheduled to hold discussions with KP Sharma Oli, Chairman of CPN-UML and Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Chairman of CPN (Maoist Center). 

Minister Yi will be flying to China on March 27.

The visit comes at the time when Nepal has ratified the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC)-Nepal Compact and is in the process of implementation. 

Since Nepal has accepted both the American and Chinese grant assistance i.e MCC and Belt and Roads Initiatives (BRI), Nepal is obliged to maintain balanced relations with both the global economic giants.

Ahead of MCC compact ratification by the Government of Nepal, China had expressed concern about the compact.

Nepal on May 22, 2017 had signed the BRI agreement with China.