Tun Mon Thet (NSS) - Aug 20

Cloudy information and assumptions that were intentionally injected or spread by word of mouth for months to contaminate the mutual trust between China and Myanmar have been erased by the recent visit of Mr. Wang Yi to Naypyidaw. 

China avowed its strongest backing and wholehearted goodwill to Myanmar. Thus, the visit is deemed to be more than an official one but refurbishing the bilateral ties in a modern form. 

The member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs of China Mr. Wang Yi visited Naypyidaw on 14 August, and met with premiers of Myanmar – Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Foreign Minister U Than Swe, and the former Senior General Than Shwe. 

The Chinese foreign minister affirmed China’s continuous support for Myanmar’s independence, sovereignty, national unity, and territorial integrity during the meeting with Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.  He repeatedly highlighted the same information, according to Xinhua news, when he met with the former Senior General Than Shwe: “China will continue to support Myanmar in safeguarding its independence, sovereignty, national unity, and territorial integrity.” 

In point of fact, the visit was punctually at the right time when its neighbour, Myanmar, is fatigued with the ongoing internal conflicts and has been encountering hardships.  

Mr. Wang Yi also reaffirmed that China supports Myanmar's efforts towards an early political reconciliation within the constitutional framework, and is willing to work with Myanmar to deepen bilateral mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields, opposing the attacks of ethnic armed organizations on towns and villages in northern Shan State. 

In fact, the ethnocentric armed forces in the northern Shan State – the MNDAA (Kokang groups) and the TNLA (Ta’ang groups) have been attacking the non-military soft targets since their military assaults in October 2023. Those ethnocentric armed forces commit various forms of humiliations against human dignity and discriminations based on racism, and forced military recruitment.  

In the bilateral talks, Chinese side stressed to provide necessary assistance for the upcoming Myanmar’s fresh election, especially, the technological assistance to conduct the census-taking process and the election. 

Myanmar was the first non-Communist country to recognize the People's Republic of China after its foundation in 1949. Still, Myanmar has been continuously standing for the One China Policy in every circumstance of changing global and regional politics.  Next year 2025 will mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Myanmar and China. 

Chairman of the State Administration Council Senior General Min Aung Hlaing reiterated that Myanmar does not accept any actions that will harm the interests of China through Myanmar. He also highlighted the country’s long-lasting and strengthening relationship history with China in addition to being good friends and neighbouring. Senior General also stated the firm standing of Myanmar as a perpetual and full of trust country for China.  

                Joint Secretary of the Myanmar Institute of Strategic and International Studies, U Khin Maung Zaw, remarks: “In my opinion, this is a prominent turning point as China officially recognizes and cooperates with the State Administration Council government while other countries are hesitating to show the valiant cooperation.” 

With regard to mutual trust, U Khin Maung Zaw added: “Likewise, Myanmar discussed some touching points in the talks. One, Myanmar showed its willingness to maintain the status of a trustful and reliable country to China. Two, Myanmar will not allow any actions that will harm the security and national interests of China. These two points give a deep guarantee for China.” 

On 15 August, the Chinese foreign minister Mr. Wang Yi departed for Thailand to co-chair the 9th Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers' Meeting and attend the informal discussions between the foreign ministers of China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand. 

On the same day, Counselor of the U.S. Department of State Tom Sullivan and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) held a virtual meeting with the terrorist organization NUG (National Unity Government) and discussed the American assistance to the NUG and PDF terrorists for expanding terroristic plots in Myanmar.