Chinese premier Wen set for Nepal visit

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao will arrive Kathmandu on Saturday  on a brief stopover en-route to Qatar after a planned tour last month was abruptly postponed apparently over security concerns.

Wen is schedule to arrive at 11 am for a five-hour visit before flying to Qatar, said a source at the Prime Minister's office.

High security alert is issued and extra-security forces have been mobilised for the visit, a top security official said.

"All the four security agencies, Nepal Army, Armed Police Force, Nepal Police and National Investigation Department have been mobilised for the visiting Chinese leader," Ratna Raj Pandey, Chief District Officer of Kathmandu District Administration Office, said.

Wen's visit has been kept secret till last night after his planed three-day visit from December 20 last year was postponed due to security concerns.

Last month, the Chinese Embassy officials had expressed displeasure over the early announcement of the date of the premier's visit without consulting Beijing.

The postponement of the visit had raised question about the government's diplomatic capability.

Wen is scheduled to call on President Dr Ram Baran Yadav, hold bilateral with his Nepalese counterpart Baburam Bhattarai and meet other senior government officials and political leaders during the brief stay in Kathmandu.

Nepal government has expressed its commitment not to allow anti-Beijing protests as it has underlined its 'one-China policy' and intensified crackdown against Tibetans.

The Nepalese authorities have taken extraordinary steps to enforce security, particularly keeping a close watch on the thousands of Tibetans living in Kathmandu in exile.

On the eve of Wen's visit, the police had detained a total of 154 Tibetan nationals from Kathmandu, according to a top government official.

The Tibetans arrested in Kathmandu were not planning to protest during Wen's visit.

They were here on a pilgrimage tour and had left their travel documents at the hotel in Kathmandu before going outside in the capital, the official said adding they will be released on Friday.

During the bilateral meeting Chinese Premier is likely to announced a credit line of USD 500 million, including USD 150 million for the construction of proposed Pokhara International Airport.

China is also expected to provide an assistance of around USD 55 million for upgrading the existing ring-road in Kathmandu Valley, according to media reports in Kathmandu.

Nepal government is likely to seek assistance from China for the development of four major projects, including Pokhara International Airport, the 750-MW West Seti Hydropower Project, 600-MW Budi Gandaki Hydropower Project and 400-MW Nalshyagugad Hydropower Project.

Nepal government is also likely to request China to grant duty free market access to hundreds of Nepalese manufactured goods in a bid to boost its export trade aiming to reduce trade deficit with China.