KATHMANDU: Ahead of his China visit, Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli has held discussions with former premiers, one of whom urged him to take up the issue of the disputed Nepal-India-China tri-junction Lipu-Lekh with Beijing, according to a media report.
Oli, who begins his five-day visit to China begins tomorrow -- his first since re-election, on Saturday consulted former prime ministers Sher Bahadur Deuba, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Madhav Kumar Nepal, Jhala Nath Khanal and Baburam Bhattarai.
Bhattarai, the Naya Shakti Nepal party coordinator, presented a separate 10-point suggestion to Oli, the Kathmandu Post reported.
"Bhattarai urged Oli to raise the issues of Lipu-Lekh -the disputed Nepal-India-China tri-junction -- that the two neighbours agreed to develop as a transit point, opening more border points with China, settling border disputes by swapping land, seeking financial aid under the frameworks of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Asian Infrastructure and Investment Bank, and getting a grant for building a railway from border town Kerung to Kathmandu," the report said.
Lipu-Lekh, is the last point of Nepal's border with China and India and known as an ancient route for traders and pilgrims transiting between Nepal and Tibet.
During the meeting, the former prime ministers also urged Oli to pursue projects and assistance from China so that Nepal can benefit from the giant neighbour's rapid development.
They have advised him to attract Chinese investments into Nepal, the report said, adding Oli has assured them that he would make efforts for taking Nepal-China ties to a new high.
During Oli's visit, a host of projects under the Belt and Road Initiative as well as China's plans for an India-Nepal-China economic corridor are expected to be discussed.
The visit will further strengthen bilateral ties and promote cooperation between Nepal and China, a member of Communist Party of Nepal (NCP) Standing Committee had said earlier.