NAY PYI TAW, Myanmar (Reuters) — President U Htin Kyaw of Myanmar met with Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi on Sunday in Nay Pyi Taw and both sides pledged to further promote bilateral ties and cooperation.
U Htin Kyaw asked Wang Yi to convey his greetings to President Xi Jinping and congratulated Xi on his re-election as general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC).
U Htin Kyaw said that the “Belt and Road” Initiative proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping has strongly promoted international cooperation and that Myanmar appreciates the idea of establishing an economic corridor between the two countries and will actively work with China in this issue.
Myanmar hopes that China will continue to provide support and help with Myanmar’s domestic peace process and praises China’s stance on the Rakhine state issue, the president said, adding that Myanmar is willing to work with Bangladesh to promote the solution to the issue in line with the three-phase solution proposed by China so as to realize peace and stability in the region and push forward regional development.
Wang conveyed greetings from President Xi to U Htin Kyaw and said that China and Myanmar are amicable neighbors. The two countries established “paukphaw” (“fraternal” in the Myanmar language) friendship in the last century, which has developed into comprehensive strategic cooperative partners in the new century and that the two will also work with joint efforts to build a community with a sharing future.
China views Myanmar as an important cooperation partner in building the “Belt and Road” and is willing to discuss with Myanmar on building an economic corridor in accordance with Myanmar’s national plan and actual needs so as to promote common development, Wang said.
China believes that Myanmar has the wisdom and is capable of promoting the domestic peace process and is willing to continue to provide help at Myanmar’s request, he said.
Wang said that the three-phase solution proposed by China after he paid visit to both Myanmar and Bangladesh has received positive response from the two countries and that China, as their common friend, is willing to continue to play a constructive role in properly handling the Rakhine state issue.
Wang also met with Myanmar’s commander-in-chief of the Myanmer Armed Forces Min Aung Hlaing and Myanmar’s State Counselor and Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi in Nay Pyi Taw.
