China plays down its Nepal meddling after Oli rejects Beijing's advice; 2 options proposed

A day after the Chinese delegation led by Vice-Minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China Guo Yezhou returned to Beijing, China on Thursday played down the significance of the visit to Nepal. China had dispatched a delegation to Kathmandu as soon as the country plunged into a political crisis on December 20 after PM KP Sharma Oli, known for his pro-Beijing leanings, in a surprise move, recommended dissolving the 275-member House, amidst a tussle for power with Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' - both leaders of the Nepal Communist Party.

China avoids speaking on delegation's visit to Nepal

The high-level Chinese delegation held separate talks with top leaders of the warring factions of the ruling Communist party to patch up differences between them. Asked to disclose the outcome of Guo's visit at a media briefing in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin skirted any references to the present political crisis in Nepal and China's efforts to bring about a rapprochement between Nepal's feuding leaders.

"A delegation of the International Department of the Central Committee of CPC recently visited Nepal and met with leaders of both the ruling party and the opposition in Nepal. They exchanged views on conducting inter-party interactions and mutual learning, advancing practical BRI cooperation and other issues of mutual interest. The Nepalese side congratulated the CPC on the upcoming 100th anniversary of its founding and expressed readiness to deepen traditional friendship, strengthen inter-party exchanges, advance BRI cooperation and deliver more benefits to the two peoples," Wang Wenbin responded to a query by a Prasar Bharati reporter.

China suggests two possible solutions

The Chinese delegation held talks with President Bhandari, Prime Minister Oli, NCP chairs 'Prachanda' and Madhav Nepal, former PM Jhana Nath Khanal and leader of the Janata Samajbadi Party Baburam Bhattarai. During his meetings with Oli and Prachanda, the Chinese leader is learnt to have told them to make efforts for reunification as the split in the largest communist party of Nepal will weaken communist movement in South Asia, according to a senior leader of Prachanda-led faction of the NCP. 

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According to news agency PTI, the Chinese delegation has suggested two possible solutions to resolve the current political crisis in Nepal, a senior NCP said in Kathmandu on Tuesday. Under 'Plan A', the dissolved House could be reinstated through the Supreme Court verdict followed by the reunification of the two factions, he said on condition of anonymity.

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The Chinese leader has advised the senior NCP leaders to give an alternative to Prime Minister Oli if the Parliament gets reinstated. If the first option is not workable then the 'Plan B' would be to contest the mid-term election through an electoral alliance among all the communist forces of Nepal, the NCP leader added.

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The Chinese team also met main opposition Nepali Congress chief Sher Bahadur Deuba and discussed the latest political developments in the country. However, according to Nepali media reports, the delegation returned home without much success in its mission to patch up differences between Nepal's feuding leaders.

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(With agency inputs)