Ahead of the third edition of the joint Nepal-China military drills in Nepal planned for August-September, Nepal Army Chief Purna Chandra Thapa is leaving on a week-long China visit starting June 16. Thapa is going at the invitation of China’s People’s Liberation Army, in what will be his first China trip as the CoAS. During the visit, there is likely to be new impetus on implementation of past agreements on military cooperation between the two armies, with a focus on humanitarian efforts and disaster relief, said an NA source. Shambhu Kattel