10 August 2006
China sends more envoys to Nepal
(IANS) China has sent a third official high-level delegation to Kathmandu in four months. Ai Ping, general director of the International Department of the Communist Party of China, is heading the delegation sent to enhance bilateral ties and discuss bilateral economic, social and cultural issues. The Chinese team is also being briefed on the ongoing peace talks between the seven-party government and the Maoists. The visitors are expected to meet senior leaders of the main political parties. China backed King Gyanendra, who seized power and ruled the kingdom autocratically for 15 months. In April 2006, when the royal regime finally lost grasp on power, Beijing rushed a team to Nepal to take stock of the changes. Besides maintaining good relations, China also wants to protect the arms deals struck with the royal government at a substantial profit to Chinese manufacturers.