YAGON: China’s Foreign Minister, Qin Gang, met with Myanmar’s junta chief, Min Aung Hlaing, on Tuesday, marking the highest-level visit by a Chinese official since the military coup in February 2021.
Myanmar has been in political turmoil since the coup, which overthrew the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, resulting in protests, violence, and international sanctions against the junta.
China, a major ally and arms supplier of the Myanmar military, has been criticized by the international community for not condemning the coup.
During the meeting, Qin expressed China’s support for Myanmar on the international stage, according to a statement released by the junta’s information department. Qin will remain in Myanmar until Thursday.
The two leaders discussed various topics, including diplomatic relations, friendly cooperation, border trade, investments, and cooperation on energy and electricity, according to the junta statement. Qin also met with Myanmar’s military-appointed Foreign Minister, Than Swe.
China’s support for Myanmar in infrastructure projects
China is known for its support of infrastructure projects in Myanmar that connect China’s landlocked Yunnan province to the Indian Ocean. These projects are expected to run through northern Myanmar, and analysts say Beijing also arms and support several ethnic rebel groups along its border with Myanmar.
Some of these ethnic rebel groups have clashed with the Myanmar military since the coup, and in March, an alliance of China-backed rebels called for Beijing’s help to defuse the crisis.
Qin’s visit follows that of his predecessor, Wang Yi, who visited Myanmar in July last year but did not meet with the junta chief. China also appointed a special envoy to Myanmar, Deng Xijun, in December, who has met with the junta leader and ethnic rebel leaders at least twice since then.
Qin’s visit to Myanmar precedes his attendance at a meeting of foreign ministers from the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in India, according to the Chinese foreign ministry.
The meeting between the two leaders is likely to be viewed with concern by the international community, given China’s support for the Myanmar junta and the ongoing violence and political crisis in the country.
