China visit rumors emerge as PM Oli faces invitation drought

Kathmandu, October 27 — It has been over three months since KP Sharma Oli, the chairman of the CPN (UML), was appointed as Prime Minister, yet he has not made any official visits to other countries.

Some view this as a natural occurrence, while others portray it as a failure on his part. Experts suggest that his inability to visit any country during this extended period confirms the state of his relations with various nations.

Although no country has formally invited Prime Minister Oli for a visit, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is reportedly preparing for his foreign trips. A ministry official stated, "Even though we have not received an official invitation from anywhere, we are making necessary preparations. We are working on the Prime Minister's visit, but it is not yet clear which country he will go to first."

Prime Minister Oli has invited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Nepal on two occasions, but India has not yet formally invited him.

Recently, there has been discussion about Prime Minister Oli's potential visit to China. Experts in diplomatic matters view the speculation that his first official foreign visit will be to China as an attempt to position India in a subordinate role.

A senior journalist knowledgeable about China remarked, "Look, Prime Minister Oli shouldn’t just create rumors about going to China as his first official visit. He may be trying to intimidate India by suggesting he is considering a visit there."

It is suggested that the rumors of a China visit might prompt India to extend an invitation.

Both neighboring countries, India and China, have not yet formally invited Prime Minister Oli for official visits. However, journalists indicate that neither country has made any preparations for facilitating his visit beyond informal suggestions to "come."

An official from the Foreign Minister Dr. Arju Rana Deuba's office noted that while China has not extended a formal invitation, discussions are ongoing. They expressed that China is interested in having Prime Minister Oli visit and has started coordinating with his office. It is suggested that if Oli shows interest in visiting China, he might receive a formal invitation soon.

The Foreign Ministry has been instructed to prepare accordingly, and general preparations for a visit are underway. If Prime Minister Oli travels to China, it is expected to happen in December, with indications that China is viewing this positively.

During his recent trip to the United States for the UN General Assembly, Prime Minister Oli held discussions with Indian Prime Minister Modi on the sidelines. Although Modi did not formally invite him, India's Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar did suggest that Oli should visit India, which some consider merely a polite gesture.

While in the U.S., Prime Minister Oli also met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, but discussions regarding a potential visit to China did not occur, according to ministry officials.

"They noticed that Prime Minister Oli has started showing interest in China after not receiving an invitation from India," one official stated.

Chinese leaders visiting Nepal have also encouraged Prime Minister Oli to visit China, but formal arrangements from the Chinese government are still pending.