Chairman of UCPN (Maoist) Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Sunday left for China for a six-day visit at the invitation of the Chinese Communist Party “to strengthen the relation between the two parties and the two countries.” Speaking to mediapersons at the international airport, Mr.Dahal a.k.a. Prachanda said his talks with the Chinese Communist Party leaders would include Nepal’s peace process and the Constitution-writing, for which he would try to understand the viewpoint of Chinese leadership. He is scheduled to meet top leaders of China’s communist party. However, he is not slated to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Mr. Dahal added that he would apprise the Chinese party leadership about Nepal’s situation and accept their positive suggestions. When asked about the timing of his visit so soon after his party colleague, >Baburam Bhattarai’ s recent India visit, the party chairman replied, “It is just a coincidence; there’s no more to it.
Mr. Bhattarai’s visit, especially his remarks in New Delhi, were severely criticized in Kathmandu, including by his own partymen and breakaway Maoist party factions. The former Prime Minister’s comments about “updating” Indian leadership on Nepal’s situation and publicly seeking “India’s role in Nepal’s peace process” was termed by some as inviting India’s interference for his own petty political gains.
Before leaving for China, Chairman Dahal said it was important to identify elements which were opposed to Nepal’s parties reaching an agreement on the disputes related to the new statute. He is accompanied by party General Secretary Krishna Bahadur Mahara and wife Sita Dahal.
Mr. Dahal’s visit to China is to be followed by President Ram Baran Yadav, who is attending he Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2015 in Hainan province from March 26 to April 1.