Myanmar’s president arrives in China to boost trade ties

BEIJING: Myanmar’s President Min Aung Hlaing arrived in China on Monday for talks with leader Xi Jinping, state media reported, as the Southeast Asian nation seeks stronger trade ties with Beijing.

The trip is the Myanmar leader’s second state visit since taking over as civilian president in April. He previously travelled to India.

Myanmar has been diplomatically isolated since a 2021 military coup ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi.

Images published by Myanmar media outlets on Monday morning showed Min Aung Hlaing waving as he boarded a plane to Beijing.

Chinese state media reported his arrival in the afternoon.

In addition to Xi, Min Aung Hlaing will also meet Chinese Premier Li Qiang and top legislator Zhao Leji during his visit, which will last until Friday, according to Beijing’s foreign ministry.

China hopes to use this visit to renew its friendship with Myanmar and deepen “comprehensive strategic cooperation”, ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a regular news conference on Friday.

Min Aung Hlaing will visit high-technology industries and attend an economic conference in China, Myanmar state media reported.

Attention has been drawn to the bilateral relationship by China’s recent detention of a US citizen who was working as a political analyst at a think tank focusing on Myanmar.

Min Zin, founder of the Institute for Strategy and Policy Myanmar, “has been subjected to criminal compulsory measures”, foreign ministry spokesman Lin told reporters on Friday.

Authorities are holding him “on suspicion of engaging in espionage activities that endanger China’s national security”, Lin said.

The think tank researches the political, resource and conflict dynamics of Myanmar.

The Southeast Asian nation’s armed forces have been battling an array of opposition factions since the coup.

Fearing political collapse in Myanmar — with which it shares a porous, 2,100-kilometre (1,300-mile) border — China has sought to rein in rebel groups fighting the military.

Beijing also enthusiastically backed elections that delivered a walkover win this year for the military’s allies in civilian politics.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi pledged firm support for Myanmar in safeguarding its national sovereignty and security during a meeting with Min Aung Hlaing in the capital Naypyidaw in April.

After five years ruling as armed forces chief, Min Aung Hlaing was sworn in as civilian president in April, in a transition democracy monitors dismissed as a rebranding of military rule.