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Nepali President Bidya Devi Bhandari waves as she leaves for a visit to China at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, capital of Nepal, April 24, 2019. Nepali President Bidya Devi Bhandari left for a visit to China on Wednesday to attend the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. (Xinhua/Sunil Sharma)

KATHMANDU, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Nepali President Bidya Devi Bhandari left for a visit to China on Wednesday to attend the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.

During a recent exclusive interview with Xinhua in Kathmandu, the Nepali president said that Nepal is in the final stage of finalizing cooperation projects under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.

"I believe Nepal's engagement under the BRI framework and participation in this summit will help fulfill Nepali people's longing of development," she said.

This is the first visit of the Nepali head of the state to the northern neighbor since she was re-elected as the country's president for a second term in March 2018.

Bhandari will address the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation to be held in China's capital Beijing, according to Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

On her way to Beijing, the president will visit Xi'an, the capital city of Shanxi Province.

The Nepali president will also attend the opening ceremony of International Horticultural Exhibition and visit Nepali pavilion there.

On her way back home, Bhandari will visit Lhasa, the capital city of China's Tibet Autonomous Region.