Chinese President Xi Jinping voiced strong support for Myanmar leader Min Aung Hlaing during a meeting in Beijing on Tuesday, aiming to chart the course for bilateral relations. According to China Central Television (CCTV), Xi expressed a desire to “carry forward the brotherly friendship between the peoples of the two countries and strengthen comprehensive strategic cooperation.”
China is seen as the closest international ally of Min Aung Hlaing’s government, which has been shunned by many nations since the military seized power in a 2021 coup, ousting the democratically elected government of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. Myanmar is currently mired in a bloody civil war with pro-democracy rebel groups, concentrated mainly in remote northern regions.
Speaking at the meeting, Xi stressed: “China supports all parties in Myanmar in promoting peace and reconciliation through dialogue, achieving long-term stability in northern Myanmar.” He also affirmed that the two countries have “stood shoulder to shoulder through all difficulties.”
This meeting marks the second encounter in less than a year between Xi and Min Aung Hlaing, following the retired general’s attendance at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Tianjin last August. Although he chose India as his first foreign destination after becoming president in April, analysts suggest that his visits to China signal deepening ties with Beijing and could enhance his international acceptance.
A source of tension between the two countries is the rise of online gambling hubs and cyber fraud in Myanmar, similar to those seen elsewhere in Southeast Asia. Xi said both sides need to continue a “crackdown” on telecommunications fraud, online gambling, and drug trafficking.
Before the closed-door talks lasting less than an hour, Beijing held a state welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People. Afterwards, the two leaders witnessed the official signing of 18 cooperation documents, covering areas such as cross-border transport in the Greater Mekong Subregion, free trade, disaster relief, healthcare, and media.
Beijing has invested in projects in Myanmar under the Belt and Road Initiative, its global infrastructure strategy. These projects include cross-country oil and gas pipelines and a planned deep-sea port. Many projects lie in conflict zones and have faced threats and attacks since the coup led by Min Aung Hlaing.
