Nepal PM Oli to Attend SCO Summit in China, Meeting with PM Modi on Sidelines

Kathmandu [Nepal], August 27 : Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli will embark on a five-day official visit to China from August 30 to September 3 to participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit 2025, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal announced on Wednesday.

During the visit, Oli is scheduled to attend the SCO Plus Summit in Tianjin on September 1 and will hold meetings with several world leaders. His key engagements include bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Chinese Vice President Han Zheng.

On the sidelines of the summit, Prime Minister Oli is also expected to meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Officials from Nepal’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that preparations have been made for a sideline meeting between the two leaders, with trade issues, including the latest India-China agreement via the Lipulekh region, likely to feature in the discussions. Nepal has also proposed a possible trilateral meeting involving China, India, and Nepal, though confirmation is awaited.

The visit also coincides with the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, where Oli will participate in events in Beijing on September 3.

Nepal, which has been a dialogue partner of the SCO since 2016, continues to seek an upgrade to observer or full-member status. Such an advancement would give Kathmandu direct diplomatic access to key leaders from China, Russia, India, Iran, and Central Asian nations.

This will be Oli’s second visit to China since assuming office for the fourth time in July 2024. His earlier visit was from December 2–5, 2024. He is expected to travel from Tianjin to Beijing after the summit and return to Nepal on September 3 via a chartered flight.