Myanmar’s president to visit China next week

BEIJING: Myanmar’s President Min Aung Hlaing will visit China next week for talks with his counterpart Xi Jinping, Beijing said today.

Min Aung Hlaing, whose government has pledged to step up trade with China, will visit from June 15 to 19, according to the Chinese foreign ministry.

“China looks forward to working with Myanmar, through President Min Aung Hlaing’s visit, to… deepen comprehensive strategic cooperation,” ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a regular news conference.

The trip will be the Myanmar leader’s second state visit since taking over as civilian president in April, following a trip to India.

The Southeast Asian nation has been diplomatically isolated since a 2021 military coup that ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi.

Myanmar’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, 2,100km 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.

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.

His government has revived discussions with China of long-stalled energy and transport infrastructure projects.