Home Minister Thapa’s China visit to focus on four issues

KATHMANDU: Whilst 122 Chinese cage-birds of cybercrime are still in Nepal’s custody, a high-level delegation consisting of Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa has left for China on Sunday.

The Chinese attempt of taking its nationals via a chartered plane on Sunday has been deterred in the last hour. This shall be one of the agendas for discussion during the Home Minister’s visit to China.

According to the ministry sources, Minister Thapa will talk to his counterpart Zhao Kezhi, the Minister for Public Security, on four issues such as border management, the schedule to ink Nepal-China Extradition Treaty, the Tibetan refugees in Nepal and those arrested in cybercrime charges in Nepal.

In addition, the ministers will discuss border security and bilateral collaboration. The visit is expected to be fruitful in intensifying the financial support and high-level training to the security professionals of Nepal.

However, the ministry is skeptic about the possibility of inking any agreement or treaty. “This is just a courtesy visit,” said Prem Kumar Rai, the Home Secretary.

“Although the talks will be held on various issues concerning the ministry, there will not be any formal inking of any agreement.”

Prior to his visit to China, Minister Thapa had a one-on-one talk with Prime Minister K P Oli at the latter’s residence in Baluwatar.

According to sources, the one-hour talk between the PM and Home Minister was set on the agendas for China’s visit.

Accompanied by his security advisor Dr. Indrajit Rai, spokesperson at the Ministry Kedar Nath Sharma and DIGP Surya Prasad Upadhyaya, Home Minister Thapa is scheduled to talk to the security officials and the senior leaders of Chinese Communist Party, along with Zhou Kezhi, the Chinese Minister for Public Security.

During his 6-day visit to China, Minister Thapa and his team will visit Beijing, Shanghai, and Lhasa.