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Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, who is in Tianjin, China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit, today visited the Rice Core Planting Area in Huiguan Village.

On the occasion, Prime Minister Oli and his delegation members were informed about the production of JD 939 paddy seeds in the area and the pilot projects that have been initiated to connect agriculture, tourism and education.

After observing the Rice planting area, Prime Minister Oli also visited the Zhau Eenlai and Deng Yingchao Memorial Museum located in 9 Shuishang Park West Road Nankai District.

The leader of the Chinese revolution, Zhau Eenlai, is a former Premier of the People's Republic of China.

During the visit, the Prime Minister was accompanied by First Lady Radhika Shakya and other members of the Nepali delegation.

Prime Minister Oli arrived in China on Saturday, leading the Nepali delegation to the SCO summit, at the friendly invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli briefed the Parliament about his five-day official visit to China on Friday.

PM Oli is embarking on a visit to China on August 30 at the cordial invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping to attend the SCO Summit.

Apart from attending the SCO Summit, the Prime Minister will attend 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, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated by  issuing a press release on Wednesday. 

The high-level participation of Nepal at the SCO is expected to be a great opportunity for Nepal to further deepen Nepal-China relations and increase Nepal's proactive role in multilateral cooperation. 

During his visit to China, Prime Minister Oli is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with Chinese President Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as the heads of state and governments from different countries attending the Summit.

PM Oli will leave for Tianjin City of China on Saturday morning and is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the same evening, according to the Ministry. 

The Prime Minister will address the SCO Summit in Tianjin on September 1. 

Prime Minister Oli will meet with Han Zheng, Vice President of the People’s Republic of China, in Beijing on September 2. 

The PM will return home on September 3. 

The Prime Minister will be accompanied by his spouse, Radhika Shakya.

The entourage of the PM will comprise Raghuji Pant, Minister for Education, Science and Technology; Badri Prasad Pandey, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation; Purna Bahadur Khadka, Member of the Parliament; Dr Yuba Raj Khatiwada, Economic and Development Advisor to the Prime Minister; Chhabilal Bishwakarma, Member of Parliament; and the high-ranking government officials.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is all set to visit China this week to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, marking an important step in Nepal’s high-level diplomatic engagement with its two powerful neighbors—India and China.

This visit comes at a delicate juncture. Concerns in Kathmandu are growing over a renewed India-China agreement on trade through the disputed Lipulekh Pass. Against this backdrop, the SCO summit provides Oli not just a platform to engage with regional powers but also an opportunity to assert Nepal’s interests amid rising geopolitical complexities. Alongside attending the summit’s side events, Oli is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which will be his second and third meetings with them respectively since assuming office for the third time in July 2024.

Oli’s foreign outreach has been consistent. In December last year, he visited China to finalize a framework agreement on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), one of Beijing’s top priorities in its engagement with Nepal. Similarly, his talks with Modi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly and the recent BIMSTEC meeting in Thailand highlight the frequency of high-level interactions. Yet, this week’s meetings are under particular scrutiny, as concerns over Lipulekh have resurfaced. On Aug 19,  India and China agreed to resume trade through the territory that Nepal claims as its own.

While Beijing has maintained a largely reserved stance, with Foreign Minister Wang Yi merely assuring that the India-China deal was not “targeted at any third country”, Nepal has been more vocal. Government spokesperson Prithvi Subba Gurung confirmed that Kathmandu will raise the issue directly with both Xi and Modi. Meanwhile, Chinese think tanks argue that the dispute should be settled bilaterally between Nepal and India.

The timing of this trip also underscores a shift in Oli’s priorities—from domestic politics to foreign affairs. After China, he is expected to travel to India next month and later attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York in mid-September. Adding to this momentum, Vietnam’s Vice-president visited Nepal this week, exploring new avenues of cooperation in trade, education, and tourism, a sign that Nepal is quietly broadening its international engagements beyond its immediate neighborhood.

Domestically, Oli continues to stand on firm political ground. His main coalition partner, the Nepali Congress (NC), has remained supportive, allowing him to sideline opposition voices such as the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP). NC General Secretary Gagan Kumar Thapa, however, has urged Oli to refrain from repeatedly claiming he will eventually hand over power to NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba—a gesture seen by many as unnecessary flattery.

Within his own party, Oli maintains an even tighter grip. The CPN-UML is preparing for a statute convention that could abolish both the 70-year age limit and the two-term leadership cap, moves widely viewed as paving the way for Oli’s indefinite leadership. At the same time, former President Bidya Devi Bhandari has re-emerged, opening a new office and holding political meetings. While Oli has downplayed her return to active politics, senior UML leaders like Ishwar Pokhrel appear supportive, whereas others such as Surendra Pandey and Yubaraj Gyawali remain cautious.

Interestingly, the Lipulekh controversy—once a dominant political issue—has lost much of its noise. Beyond the CPN (Maoist Center), RSP, and a few fringe left parties, most mainstream actors including NC and UML have chosen silence. This restraint is a stark contrast to earlier years when nationalist rhetoric dominated political discourse. Oli too has avoided inflammatory remarks, perhaps to preserve diplomatic decorum ahead of his meetings in China and India.

At the same time, the Maoist Center is preparing a nationwide campaign to strengthen its base ahead of local and national elections, though Chairperson Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s attempts to topple the government appear ineffective. His tensions with senior leader Janardhan Sharma also persist.

Meanwhile, developments within Parliament continue. Ishwari Neupane of the NC has been elected chair of the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee, following the resignation of Ram Hari Khatiwada over his alleged involvement in document tampering related to cooling-off period provision in the Federal Civil Service Bill.

Outside Parliament, public discontent remains visible. Teachers have returned to the streets demanding better job security, pensions, and reforms in the education bill. The passage of the bill has been delayed due to disputes between NC and UML. 

Adding to these domestic challenges, sugarcane farmers have reignited their agitation over delayed subsidies and unpaid dues from mills. Beginning Aug 24, farmers from the Tarai staged a sit-in at Maitighar Mandala in Kathmandu, demanding full payment of a long-promised Rs 70 per quintal subsidy—half of which was recently slashed to Rs 35 due to budget shortages. They are also pushing for fairer valuation, removal of VAT, and inclusion in price-setting decisions.

Beyond politics and protests, policy issues continue to surface. After last year’s rhino census was postponed due to lack of funds, Nepal will this year conduct both rhino and tiger counts with support from the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation. On the agricultural front, paddy planting remains incomplete even as August draws to a close. Of the 1,376,466 hectares suitable for cultivation, 1,306,293 hectares (about 94 percent) have been planted, leaving 70,176 hectares still fallow.

Public health concerns are also mounting. The National Public Health Laboratory has confirmed cholera cases in Birgunj, with eight of ten tested samples returning positive. The Birgunj Metropolitan Health Division reported that 171 patients suffering from cholera and diarrhea have been treated and discharged, though results from two pending samples are awaited.

Finally, in a culturally significant ruling, the Supreme Court has declared that naked Hindu ascetics, known as Naga sadhus, are not obliged to wear clothes when visiting temples. The court affirmed that their centuries-old tradition of nudity is not obscenity, a decision warmly welcomed by the ash-smeared, dreadlocked devotees of Lord Shiva.

The entire preparations for Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s China visit have been completed.

PM Oli is embarking on a five-day visit to China on August 30 at the cordial invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping to attend the SCO Summit.

Apart from attending the SCO Summit, the Prime Minister will attend 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, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated by  issuing a press release on Wednesday. 

The high-level participation of Nepal at the SCO is expected to be a great opportunity for Nepal to further deepen Nepal-China relations and increase Nepal's proactive role in multilateral cooperation. 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs made briefings to the members of the delegation on Thursday about the PM's visit at the Prime Minister's residence in the presence of PM Oli. 

Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai and Chief of Protocol Kumar Raj Kharel shared the details of the program and managerial aspects of the PM's visit. 

Prime Minister Oli is scheduled to inform the House of Representatives (HoR) about the visit on Friday, the Prime Minister's Secretariat said. 

During his visit to China, Prime Minister Oli is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with Chinese President Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as the heads of state and governments from different countries attending the Summit.

PM Oli will leave for Tianjin City of China on Saturday morning and is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the same evening, according to the Ministry. 

Prime Minister Oli will address the SCO Summit in Tianjin on September 1. 

The Prime Minister will meet with Han Zheng, Vice President of the People’s Republic of China, in Beijing on September 2. 

The PM will return home on September 3. 

The Prime Minister will be accompanied by his spouse, Radhika Shakya.

The entourage of the PM will comprise Raghuji Pant, Minister for Education, Science and Technology; Badri Prasad Pandey, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation; Purna Bahadur Khadka, Member of the Parliament; Dr Yuba Raj Khatiwada, Economic and Development Advisor to the Prime Minister; Chhabilal Bishwakarma, Member of Parliament; and the high-ranking government officials.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is scheduled to address the Parliament  on Friday, ahead of his China visit. 

Speaker Devraj Ghimire informed chief whips of major political parties about PM Oli’s address to the House during a meeting held in Singhadurbar this afternoon.

Prime Minister Oli, who is leaving for a five-day visit to China on Saturday, is going to brief the Parliament about the agendas of his visit.

CPN-UML Chief Whip Mahesh Bartaula informed that the calendar of the next 15 days of the Parliament has also been decided during the meeting.

Accordingly, the Parliament meeting to be held on August 29 will endorse the Land related Bill and forward it to the National Assembly.

Similarly, the meeting to be held on September 3 will endorse the Citizenship Bill and the Constitutional Council Bill, which was returned by the President’s Office will also be discussed, Bartaula informed.

Likewise, he mentioned that the Civil Service Bill will be endorsed  on September 4 if passed by the National Assembly.

According to him, there is a possibility to endorse the School Education Bill on September 11. 

CPN (Maoist Center) Chief Whip Mahesh Bartaula said that the Prime Minister will address the House on Friday and the agenda for the subsequent programs has also been prepared.

The Parliament will meet on 3, 4, 10, 11 and 12. 

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli will raise the issue about the Lipulekh pass agreement signed between China and India during his visit to the northern neighbor.
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At a news conference organized to make public the Cabinet decisions on Wednesday, Spokesperson of the government, Prithvi Subba Gurung, shared that the Prime Minister would raise the issue about the agreement between the neighbouring countries during his participation in Sanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in China.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to visit China from August 30 to September 3.

Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Gurung, mentioned, "The agreement between Foreign Ministers of India and China is against Nepal's sovereignty. This matter will be discussed during the high-level meeting between top leaders of neighbouring countries during the SCO Summit." 

Nepal and India are preparing for a sideline meeting between Prime Minister Oli and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he mentioned. 

Minister Gurung opined that the Foreign Ministry on the behalf of the government of Nepal has already issued a diplomatic note about the agreement signed between foreign ministers of India and China regarding using business route via Lipulekh pass of Nepal. 

Meanwhile, he stated that the government would strictly follow the policy of not adding new and big projects as well as incorporating only the possible projects in its policies, programs and budget.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is leaving for a five-day visit to China on August 30.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has made public the schedule of the Prime Minister’s five-day visit to China by issuing a statement on Wednesday. 

Accordingly, Prime Minister Oli is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tianjin.

He is then scheduled to address the SCO Summit in Tianjin on September 1.

During the conference, Prime Minister Oli will hold sideline meetings with world leaders, the Foreign Ministry stated.

After attending the program, the Prime Minister will leave for Beijing.

There, he will meet Chinese Vice President Han Zheng on September 2.

During his visit to China, PM Oli willparticipate in the program organized to mark the 80th Anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, according to the Foreign Ministry.

Prime Minister Oli will return home on September 3. 

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has called a Cabinet meeting on Monday.

The meeting will be held at 6 pm at the Prime Minister’s official residence in Baluwatar, the Prime Minister’s Secretariat informed.

It has been learnt that the meeting will decide on matters related to the government's regular operations, some appointments, transfers and promotions.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and the visiting Vice President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Vo Thi Anh Xuan, held a meeting at the Prime Minister's Office in Singha Durbar on Sunday.

The Vietnamese Vice President, Xuan, arrived in Nepal at the invitation of Vice President Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav on the historic occasion of the completion of 50 years of diplomatic relations between Nepal and Vietnam.

Vice President Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav and Vice President Vo Thih Anh Xuan also had a meeting earlier today.

The Vietnamese Vice President is scheduled to return home on August 25.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is scheduled to respond to the queries of lawmakers in the Parliament meeting on Wednesday.  The meeting will be held at 1 pm today. 

Prime Minister Oli is responding to the queries of lawmakers in the Parliament today as per HoR Regulation, 2079.

Minister for Women, Children and Senior Citizens, Nawal Kishor Sah, will be presenting a proposal, seeking consideration on 'Bill Relating to Children (first amendment), 2082 at the HoR meeting.

Similarly, the HoR is receiving a proposal that wants to send the Human Rights Trafficking (Control) First Amendment Bill, 2081 to the related committee for clause-wise discussion.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said that the government is effortful to establish a complete democracy by implementing the fundamental rights of the citizens including the Right to Information (RTI).

During his address to the 19th National Information Day celebration organized by the National Information Commission today, the Prime Minister said every citizen should have access to information.  But the practice of seeking the information requiring confidentiality by the law and those irrelevant is not expected, according to the Prime Minister.   

"Democracy was secured through tremendous contributions of us all. The government is crystal clear about  its duties and responsibility for the enforcement of the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution.  We all aspire for building a wide, independent and disciplined society and a strengthened democracy which also incorporates the RTI as the means of advancing towards that end," the head of the government said.

He added, "But demand for confidential information and the information under investigation is not warranted," he said, stressing that some information is obviously meant to be kept secret by the State."

 The Prime Minister took the time to echo the need for promoting the RTI with discipline and dignity. 

Refuting any sort of clash of interests between the government and the National Information Commission, the Prime Minister insisted on the management of issues seen in the course of the enforcement of fundamental rights. 

He utilized the forum to say that the government is clear that social networking sites be registered and brought to the tax net. 

On the occasion, RTI activists, journalists and employees including the information officers contributing to the promotion of RTI were honoured.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said that the government was making all the best possible efforts for the safe and speedy release of Bipin Joshi, a Nepali student in Israel who was taken hostage by the extremist Hamas group.

In a Facebook post today, the PM stated that the government was taking all best possible efforts for Joshi's release adding that it was the responsibility of the government.

According to the PM, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through Nepal's diplomatic missions in the Gulf countries is holding continuous talks to ensure a safe and speedy release of Joshi.

Likewise, the PM has also mentioned that the government was with the family of Joshi.

"With the coordination of our embassy in Israel, Joshi's mother Padma and sister Pushpa met with President of Israel Isaac Herzog and Chairman of the Israeli Parliament Amir Ohana for the initiatives to release Bipin," the PM has mentioned in his post. 

Likewise, PM Oli has recalled his telephone conversations that happened a couple of months ago with the presidents of Türkiye and Egypt for the release of Joshi.

Similarly, PM Oli has thanked all Nepalis, locals, journalists, security forces and social activists for their efforts for the safe and speedy release of Bipin Joshi.

Visiting Foreign Secretary of India Vikram Misri extended an invitation to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli for the India visit.

Misri, who arrived in Kathmandu on a two-day visit today, paid a courtesy call on PM Oli at the latter's office in Singh Durbar this morning and handed over the invitation letter, PM's Chief Advisor Bishnu Rimal said.

During the meeting, they discussed the issues spanning from the exchange of high level visits to the bilateral relations and mutual interests. 

However, both sides have not formally announced the date for the visit yet. 

The schedule of the visit would be made public based on mutual understanding of the diplomatic channels between the two countries.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has ruled out the possibility of regressive laws in a democratic republic.

For the enforcement of the Constitution and laws, all agencies require to play a balanced role, ensuring the principle of separation of powers. 

PM Oli was addressing a program organized by the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs on the occasion of Civil Code Day on Sunday.

"We are at work to amend the existing laws and bring new ones based on need and experiences. Most of the bills are brought in this very session of the Parliament," PM Oli reminded, adding that only political democracy is not enough, so a full-fledged democracy is prioritized. In the full-fledged democracy, there is no inequality, discrimination and oppression, he assured. 

Flaws in the Civil Code could be corrected. There is no point in getting swayed after the rumour that a law on polygamy is in the offing. "We can not even think of such a provision in modern time," PM Oli reminded. 

The Head of the Government pledged support in guaranteeing prompt justice to the citizens. The executive respects the independence of the judiciary. This said, the paean as that of the Panchayat era is not entertained either, he made it clear. 

On the occasion, Chief Justice Prakashman Singh Raut said all organs of State have equally significant role in building just society and adhering to the rule of law in the country.

Similarly, Attorney General Ramesh Badal informed that efforts were afoot to make amendment to the Civil Code. 

Civil Code is a foundational law to establish and abide by the rule of law in the country, according to Chairman of the Nepal Bar Association, Prof Dr Bijay Prasad Mishra.

The Civil Code had come into enforcement on August 17, 2018..

Foreign Secretary of India Vikram Misri paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli in Singha Durbar on Sunday.. 

The Indian Foreign Secretary arrived in Kathmandu this morning for a two-day official visit at the cordial invitation of Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai.

PM Oli's Chief Advisor Bishnu Prasad Rimal, Officials of the Foreign Ministry and Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava were present on the occasion.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said that all social media platforms operating in Nepal should come under purview of the law. 

Speaking at the inaugural session of the ‘Digital Nepal Conclave 2025’ organized by the ICT Foundation here today, Prime Minister Oli said that all social media platforms should be registered as per the prevailing laws of Nepal, pay taxes and fulfill other required obligations. 

“The Nepal government should be aware of all types of transactions related to information technology in Nepal, hence all social media platforms in operation in Nepal should fulfill their obligations as per the law, including paying taxes”, said Prime Minister Oli. 

He also said that the government is working for the development and promotion of information technology that can help people make an income with investments at home and abroad. 

Stating that the rapidly developing information technology was taking people along, he recalled that he was happy to learn during his visit to Pushpalal Mid-Hill highway that even the elderly mothers of the remote villages of Rukum used Facebook.

The Prime Minister said that Nepal is a suitable destination for digital technology and green energy, and emphasized the need to make full use of artificial intelligence to achieve development and prosperity. The government has recently passed an AI policy towards that end.

More than 150,000 SEE students benefited from online education since last year as per the government's announcement about the same. Information technology should be used in education and development while protecting children from the harmful impact of mobile phones.

He said that the government is now clear about the use of information technology in bringing about stability, good governance and development, along with the involvement of the private sector.

Noting the use of information technology was also necessary for the government to maintain good governance, Prime Minister Oli expressed the belief that corruption could be prevented by using and developing information technology and improving human conduct.