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 The first and second volume of a collection of diplomatic speeches by Chinese President Xi Jinping has been published by the Central Party Literature Press.

Compiled by the Institute of Party History and Literature of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, the book includes 136 speeches delivered at international events between March 2013 and November 2021 by Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission.

Xi, as the chief architect of major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, has delivered speeches on multiple international occasions, proposing a series of new ideas, new propositions and new initiatives with distinctive Chinese features, which reflect the call of the times and lead the trend of human progress.

They are a major part of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy and of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.

They bear significant guidance for the establishment of a new type of international relations, the building of a global community of shared future, and creating a favorable international environment for realizing the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation. Xinhua 

Even before up to 17.3m eligible voters line up to cast their ballots this Friday, a few inferences can be made. One is that the outcome of the May 13 vote will, to a large extent, determine the outcome of the forthcoming provincial and federal elections as well. In 2017, the local elections had suggested that the momentum was with the left coalition spearheaded by CPN-UML’s KP Oli. The coalition had captured 400 of the 753 mayor/chairperson seats—well ahead of Nepali Congress’s tally of 266. In the subsequent provincial and federal elections, the coalition bagged six of the seven provinces and garnered a near two-thirds majority at the center.

The Friday vote will also be a test of Nepali people’s willingness to overcome their bias. According to election analysts ApEx spoke to, around 60 percent of eligible voters are forecast to vote along party lines. But a surprise victory of a candidate from outside Nepali Congress and CPN-UML in a big metropolitan like Kathmandu, for instance, would signal a huge shift in the psyche of the Nepali voting public. The major parties will then be forced to rethink their plans (and tickets) for the two subsequent elections.

Do we the voting public really want meaningful and progressive social changes? The political parties have already cheated us by denying adequate number of tickets to women and marginalized communities. Yet unexpected wins for candidates of these communities will again force our major political forces to go back to the drawing board, to rethink their traditional way of ticket-distribution and electioneering. Overcoming communal, gender and political bias is never easy. But that is what we must do if a peaceful, prosperous and harmonious society is what we aspire for.

There must be clear signaling this Friday. The beauty of a functioning democracy is that if people speak, their representatives must listen. Vote then with a clear conscience. Vote for clean and competent candidates, even if you have to momentarily cross that inner Rubicon to do so. Vote to break the status quo.

Institute of Foreign Affairs, a government think-tank under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, organized a discussion on ‘democracy and election: neighborhood experience.’ The discussion held on May 9 was attended by experts and journalists. 

In the beginning, Matrika Poudyal, spokesperson at IFA, presented the objectives and importance of the program. 

Elaborating on the status of elections and democracy in South Asian countries, Poudyal said sharing of ideas and opinions to make the election system more responsible and democratic has become a prominent topic.

Rajendra Pandey, acting executive director of IFA, shared his knowledge of various aspects of democracy and elections including international experiences. Pandey said IFA as a policy institute has continuously been organizing discussions on policy issues. 

Experts and journalists discussed electoral governance, the situation of democracy in South Asian countries, and other various aspects of election and democracy. Speaking at the program, journalist Kamal Dev Bhattarai stressed strengthening institutions to ensure free and fair elections, the cornerstone of democracy. 

He presented a comparative study of electoral governance in South Asian countries. Along with vibrant state institutions, strong media and civil society institutions can play a vital role to maintain the integrity of elections, he said.

Journalist Chandra Shekhar Adhikari said to ensure a vibrant democracy, countries of this region should take measures for electoral reform. Adhikari was of the view that political influence on the functioning of the EC is posing a threat to free elections. 

Journalist Ritu Raj Subdei said that political parties are using money to influence the voting pattern. The first step towards free and fair elections is reform in the political parties, he said. Journalist Salik Subedi highlighted the key factors that contribute to strengthening democracy. He further talked about the close interlink between election and democracy. 

Political scientist Chandra Dev Bhatt highlighted the various facets of democracy and election. He said that only holding regular elections does not guarantee a deep-rooted democracy. Journalist Jagdishwar Pandey stressed creating vibrant institutions in order to embolden democracy. We have to guarantee the autonomy of institutions that are mandated for holding the elections which are not happening, he said. 

Nepal reported 21 new Covid-19 cases on Wednesday.

According to the Ministry of Health and Population, 3, 070 swab samples were tested in the RT-PCR method, of which 18 returned positive. Likewise, 718 people underwent antigen tests, of which three were tested positive.

The Ministry said that no one died of the virus in the last 24 hours. The Ministry said that 16 infected people recovered from the disease.

As of today, there are 127 active cases in the country.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) gained 56. 06 points to close at 2,369.06 points on Wednesday.

Similarly, the sensitive index plunged by 9. 52 points to close at 456. 66 points.

Meanwhile, a total of 5,333,109 unit shares of 229 companies were traded for Rs 2. 16 billion.

In today’s market, all sub-indices saw green. Non-Life Insurance topped the chart with 243. 74 points.

At the end of the day, total market capitalization stood at Rs 3. 37 trillion.

Hydro Village and Hydroelectricity Investment and Development Company have signed an agreement for cooperation in the construction of hydropower project.

Hydroelectricity Investment and Development Company is to cooperate in the share of 57.3-megawatt Myagdikhola Hydropower Project to be constructed by Hydro Village.

Hydro Village Chairman Rameshwar Thapa and Hydroelectricity Investment and Development Company Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Arjun Kumar Gautam signed the agreement amidst a program in the Capital on Friday.

The HIDCL has a strategic partnership in 20 percent shares of the project

With this, the HIDCL will have 20 percent and Malaysian investors and Hydro Village will each have 40 percent shares of the project.

Gautam said that the commercial production will be started by constructing the project in the next 978 days.

Thanking the Hydroelectricity Investment and Development Company for the strategic partnership, Hydro Village Chairman Thapa expressed his commitment to complete the project in the stipulated time.

The project is located in Jeltingubagad Dhaulagiri Rural Municipality of Myagdi district.

The substation is at Dandakhet, 17 kilometers away from the powerhouse of the project.

Managing Director of the project Sushil Pokharel said that the electricity will be supplied to the substation from 132 KV double circuit.

He said that the electricity generated from the hydropower will be connected to the transmission line from Kaligandaki corridor through Raghughat.

The estimated cost of the project is Rs 10. 74 billion.

Pokharel said that the project would contribute to peace, security, health and expansion of road network in the village.

The Election Commission (EC) has started distributing voter identity cards from the offices of election officers for the local level elections.

The EC said that it would distribute voter identity cards till Thursday.

Voter education has also been provided at the place where voter identity cards have been distributed.

The Commission said that the voters should carry voter identity cards or other identity cards specified by the poll body while going to cast votes.

Rank Entertainment Holdings Pvt. Ltd signed a casino lease agreement with City Hotel, a company under Golyan Group, to operate a casino at the Hyatt Place Hotel located at Soalteemode, Kathmandu.

Rank Entertainment Holdings Pvt. Ltd. is Sri Lanka's largest entertainment conglomerate with worldwide portfolio of over 15 casinos.

Hyatt Place Hotel is one of the finest and most modern hotels in Kathmandu located in peaceful Tahachal, 3km from the Swayambhunath Stupa which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Akshay Golyan, Managing Director of Golyan Group and Ravi Wijeratne, Chairman of Rank Holdings Entertainment Pvt. Ltd signed that agreement amidst a program.

Pawan Golyan - Chairman of Golyan Group, Shakti Golyan, Chairman of City Hotel Limited, Asanga Warusavitharna, CEO of Rank Entertainment Holdings Pvt. Ltd were also present in the agreement signing program.

The Golyan Group is committed towards strengthening Nepal’s economic and social base through industry excellence. 

With this agreement, the group continues to open new areas of bringing in foreign income and investment benefitting the economy and tourism industry.