Nepal FM Begins Key China Visit Amid Bid to Recalibrate Bilateral Ties

Nepal's Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal arrived in Beijing on Sunday for a four-day official visit aimed at strengthening ties with China and outlining the foreign policy priorities of Nepal's new Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP)-led government .

Khanal's visit, which runs from June 14 to 17 at the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi , comes just a week after his trip to India and is being closely watched as an indicator of Kathmandu's approach towards its two giant neighbours.

During the visit, Khanal will hold bilateral talks with Wang Yi and meet senior Chinese leaders to discuss political relations, economic cooperation, connectivity, investment and regional issues. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Beijing is ready to work with Nepal's new government to deepen political trust, expand practical cooperation and advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation .

The visit follows the RSP's landslide election victory earlier this year, ending more than a decade of dominance by Nepal's communist parties led by former prime ministers K P Sharma Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda'. The new government has sought to project a balanced foreign policy while maintaining strong relations with both India and China.

Ahead of the trip, Khanal said he intends to dispel misconceptions about the new government's foreign policy orientation and build confidence with the Chinese leadership. He stressed that the focus would be on trust-building and achieving tangible outcomes in multiple sectors.

Besides official meetings, Khanal will participate in an investment conference organised by Nepal's embassy in Beijing, engage with Chinese business leaders and interact with the Nepali community in China before returning to Kathmandu on June 17.

The visit comes amid growing regional attention on Nepal's diplomatic outreach following Khanal's recent visit to New Delhi, where he reaffirmed that Nepal accords the highest priority to relations with India while continuing to strengthen engagement with China.