China envoy steps into Nepal crisis

PM Oli’s fate to be decided July 8 as ruling Communist Party meet deferred again

Kathmandu,

July 6: The political future of Nepal’s embattled Prime Minister

K.P. Sharma Oil will now be decided on Wednesday after the ruling Communist Party postponed for a third time a crucial meeting, a day after the Chinese ambassador met a senior leader amidst the growing demand for his resignation over his style of functioning and antiIndia statements.

The meeting of the Nepal Communist Party’s 45-member powerful standing committee was scheduled to be held on Monday. But it was postponed at the last minute.

Prime Minister’s press adviser Surya Thapa said the meeting was postponed until Wednesday. The reason for the deferment for a third time was not revealed.

The development came as China’s ambassador Hou Yanqi met with the senior leader of the NCP and former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal on Sunday.

The differences between the two factions of the NCP — one led by Mr Oli and the other led by party’s executive chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda” on the issue of power-sharing — intensified after the PM unilaterally decided to prorogue the budget session of Parliament on Thursday.

The Prachanda faction, backed by senior leaders and former PM Madhav Nepal and Jhalanath Khanal, has been demanding Mr Oli’s resignation.

According to a senior NCP leader, Chinese ambassador Hou met Madhav Nepal at his residence in Koteshwor on Sunday evening and they discussed the current situation. The Chinese envoy also called on Nepal

President Bidya Devi Bhandari on Sunday, My

Republica newspaper reported on Monday.

This is not the first time that the Chinese ambassador has intervened in Nepal’s internal affairs at a time of crisis. One-anda-half months ago, when the NCP’s intra-party feud reached the climax, Hou held separate meetings with President Bhandari, PM Oli and other senior leaders including Prachanda and Madhav Nepal.

This is for the third time that the standing committee meeting of the ruling party was postponed.

— AFP A riot police officer points at a woman laying down after being searched during a demonstration at a mall in Hong Kong on Monday in response to a new national security law introduced in the city.