Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit Myanmar next week, the first in 2020

[艹艹艹]

Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit Myanmar next week, the first in 2020
By Li Xuanmin Source:Global Times Published: 2020/1/10 8:50:30


Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to Myanmar from January 17-18 on invitation from Myanmar President U Win Myint, China's Foreign Ministry announced on Friday. It will be Xi's first state visit of 2020, and also the first state visit to Myanmar by a Chinese President in 19 years.

As this year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of China-Myanmar diplomatic relations, Chinese observers and business representatives believe the visit, a good start for China's neighborhood diplomacy in the new year, will embody China's commitment to building a community with a shared future. It will also serve as example of how Asian economies are joining hands to resist international pressure and pursue an independent and prosperous development path.

"The world is undergoing mounting uncertainties and rising protectionism. Xi's visit will increase mutual political trust between China and Myanmar, and cement economic ties under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), bringing bilateral relations into the new era. It will also showcase a model of win-win cooperation based on mutual respect and equal footing," Liu Yin, chairman of the Myanmar-China Entrepreneur Association, told the Global Times.

The relationship between China and Myanmar is of strategic importance to China's neighborhood diplomacy, as it was and will be an example of "harmonious neighborly relations" - one of the top reasons analysts believe the Chinese leader has chosen the nation for his first state visit of the new year.

Myanmar was the first non-communist country to recognize the People's Republic of China after its foundation in 1949. The Southeast Asian country was also the first to resolve its boundary issues with China.

Xu Liping, director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that from a geopolitical point of view, Myanmar is also at an important geographic position on China's inland southbound route to the Indian Ocean.

"The deep-sea Kyaukpyu port in western Myanmar is one of the most important sea gates through which China could access the Indian Ocean," Xu said.

During Myanmar's process of democratization, the Southeast Asian country was once derailed. In 2015, when Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi came into power, China's relations with Myanmar frayed partly due to sway from Western forces.

But after some turbulence, Myanmar realized there were double standards in the approach Western countries take on human rights issues and began to turn to China for diplomatic and economic help. "It is China who is willing to pull Myanmar from the sludge, rather than the Western world that badmouths the nation," Dai Yonghong, director of the Institute of the Bay of Bengal Studies at Shenzhen University, told the Global Times.

Currently, China-Myanmar relations are gaining a good momentum, with broad cooperation in political, trade, investment, tourism, military and people-to-people exchanges. The two nations' vigorous relationship is now underpinned by a broad consensus between the two nations.

"China supports Myanmar in maintaining an independent development path, while Myanmar upholds the one-China principle, recognizing and actively participating in the China-proposed BRI. As Myanmar is at a period of political and economic transformation, it is natural that it wants to join hands with China to cope with external pressures, and keep initiatives at its own hands," Liu explained.


Increased cooperation

In 2013, China and Myanmar formed a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. Dai said that Xi's visit will enrich the partnership and deepen the enduring "paukphaw (fraternal) friendship" between the two countries.

It is possible that the two sides will agree to advance the building of a community with a shared future to achieve new outcomes, analysts said. Last year, China agreed upon active plans with Laos and Cambodia to build a community with a shared future.

Today, large-scale infrastructure projects undertaken by Chinese firms in Myanmar - under the BRI and the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor - are mired in controversy, with some even triggering local demonstrations due to environmental issues as well as interference from Westerners and non-government organizations.

While recognizing that such disputes are a major hurdle when forging closer economic ties, Chinese analysts noted Xi's visit could resolve many disputes and steer some suspended infrastructure projects back on the right track.

The Letpadaung Copper Mine project, jointly established by China and Myanmar, was once the target of protests. But now peace has been restored, and the project is offering thousands of job opportunities to local residents and contributing to their well-being.

Dai said the mining project is a vivid example of how cooperation with China under the BRI can benefit the Southeast Asian economy.

"It will offer Myanmar more economic development opportunities, tapping into China's huge market," Dai said.

Chinese companies will also assist in more of Myanmar's infrastructure projects, such as New Yangon City - a major urban planning project in Yangon - and the operation of Kyaukpyu port, according to analysts.

The visit will also be an opportunity for trade volume between China and Myanmar to see a new peak this year under the framework of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, a free trade agreement in the Asia-Pacific region.

As China and Myanmar now share a border more than 2,000 kilometers long, a higher-level economic cooperation zone may be established in border areas to facilitate the export of Myanmar goods such as watermelons, rice and textile products to China, Dai predicted.

In the first nine months of 2019, the trade volume between China and Myanmar grew 17.9 percent year-on-year to $13.54 billion, according to data from China's Ministry of Commerce.

 

[Tresbon]

But after some turbulence, Myanmar realized there were double standards in the approach Western countries take on human rights issues and began to turn to China for diplomatic and economic help. "It is China who is willing to pull Myanmar from the sludge, rather than the Western world that badmouths the nation," Dai Yonghong, director of the Institute of the Bay of Bengal Studies at Shenzhen University, told the Global Times.

 

[GHALIB]

Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit Myanmar next week, the first in 2020
By Li Xuanmin Source:Global Times Published: 2020/1/10 8:50:30


Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to Myanmar from January 17-18 on invitation from Myanmar President U Win Myint, China's Foreign Ministry announced on Friday. It will be Xi's first state visit of 2020, and also the first state visit to Myanmar by a Chinese President in 19 years.

As this year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of China-Myanmar diplomatic relations, Chinese observers and business representatives believe the visit, a good start for China's neighborhood diplomacy in the new year, will embody China's commitment to building a community with a shared future. It will also serve as example of how Asian economies are joining hands to resist international pressure and pursue an independent and prosperous development path.

"The world is undergoing mounting uncertainties and rising protectionism. Xi's visit will increase mutual political trust between China and Myanmar, and cement economic ties under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), bringing bilateral relations into the new era. It will also showcase a model of win-win cooperation based on mutual respect and equal footing," Liu Yin, chairman of the Myanmar-China Entrepreneur Association, told the Global Times.

The relationship between China and Myanmar is of strategic importance to China's neighborhood diplomacy, as it was and will be an example of "harmonious neighborly relations" - one of the top reasons analysts believe the Chinese leader has chosen the nation for his first state visit of the new year.

Myanmar was the first non-communist country to recognize the People's Republic of China after its foundation in 1949. The Southeast Asian country was also the first to resolve its boundary issues with China.

Xu Liping, director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that from a geopolitical point of view, Myanmar is also at an important geographic position on China's inland southbound route to the Indian Ocean.

"The deep-sea Kyaukpyu port in western Myanmar is one of the most important sea gates through which China could access the Indian Ocean," Xu said.

During Myanmar's process of democratization, the Southeast Asian country was once derailed. In 2015, when Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi came into power, China's relations with Myanmar frayed partly due to sway from Western forces.

But after some turbulence, Myanmar realized there were double standards in the approach Western countries take on human rights issues and began to turn to China for diplomatic and economic help. "It is China who is willing to pull Myanmar from the sludge, rather than the Western world that badmouths the nation," Dai Yonghong, director of the Institute of the Bay of Bengal Studies at Shenzhen University, told the Global Times.

Currently, China-Myanmar relations are gaining a good momentum, with broad cooperation in political, trade, investment, tourism, military and people-to-people exchanges. The two nations' vigorous relationship is now underpinned by a broad consensus between the two nations.

"China supports Myanmar in maintaining an independent development path, while Myanmar upholds the one-China principle, recognizing and actively participating in the China-proposed BRI. As Myanmar is at a period of political and economic transformation, it is natural that it wants to join hands with China to cope with external pressures, and keep initiatives at its own hands," Liu explained.


Increased cooperation

In 2013, China and Myanmar formed a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. Dai said that Xi's visit will enrich the partnership and deepen the enduring "paukphaw (fraternal) friendship" between the two countries.

It is possible that the two sides will agree to advance the building of a community with a shared future to achieve new outcomes, analysts said. Last year, China agreed upon active plans with Laos and Cambodia to build a community with a shared future.

Today, large-scale infrastructure projects undertaken by Chinese firms in Myanmar - under the BRI and the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor - are mired in controversy, with some even triggering local demonstrations due to environmental issues as well as interference from Westerners and non-government organizations.

While recognizing that such disputes are a major hurdle when forging closer economic ties, Chinese analysts noted Xi's visit could resolve many disputes and steer some suspended infrastructure projects back on the right track.

The Letpadaung Copper Mine project, jointly established by China and Myanmar, was once the target of protests. But now peace has been restored, and the project is offering thousands of job opportunities to local residents and contributing to their well-being.

Dai said the mining project is a vivid example of how cooperation with China under the BRI can benefit the Southeast Asian economy.

"It will offer Myanmar more economic development opportunities, tapping into China's huge market," Dai said.

Chinese companies will also assist in more of Myanmar's infrastructure projects, such as New Yangon City - a major urban planning project in Yangon - and the operation of Kyaukpyu port, according to analysts.

The visit will also be an opportunity for trade volume between China and Myanmar to see a new peak this year under the framework of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, a free trade agreement in the Asia-Pacific region.

As China and Myanmar now share a border more than 2,000 kilometers long, a higher-level economic cooperation zone may be established in border areas to facilitate the export of Myanmar goods such as watermelons, rice and textile products to China, Dai predicted.

In the first nine months of 2019, the trade volume between China and Myanmar grew 17.9 percent year-on-year to $13.54 billion, according to data from China's Ministry of Commerce.

very good .

 

[Aung Zaya]

But after some turbulence, Myanmar realized there were double standards in the approach Western countries take on human rights issues and began to turn to China for diplomatic and economic help. "It is China who is willing to pull Myanmar from the sludge, rather than the Western world that badmouths the nation," Dai Yonghong, director of the Institute of the Bay of Bengal Studies at Shenzhen University, told the Global Times.

and Daw Aung San Su Kyi herself told a newspaper that only her eastern friends , stating China in the first , including India and Japan can be trusted.

 

[MINN]

and Daw Aung San Su Kyi herself told a newspaper that only her eastern friends , stating China in the first , including India and Japan can be trusted.

I trust Japan and S.Korea too

 

[Aung Zaya]

I trust Japan and S.Korea too

but she did not mention about S.Korea. Personally, i also do trust S.Korea.

 

[Stranagor]

China, Myanmar to sign agreements

By Li Xuanmin in Yangon and Xie Jun in Shanghai Source:Global Times Published: 2020/1/13 20:33:41

Liu Yin, chairman of the Myanmar-China Entrepreneur Association Photo: Courtesy of Myanmar-China Entrepreneur Association

President Xi Jinping's scheduled state visit to Myanmar this week will deepen the two Asian economies' ties in such sectors as seafood exports, energy, basic infrastructure, finance and other labor-intensive industries, serving as drivers to fuel Myanmar's economic development, business representatives and industry observers said.

Xi will make the visit to Myanmar from Friday to Saturday at the invitation of Myanmar President U Win Myint, China's Foreign Ministry announced. It will be Xi's first state visit of 2020 and also the first state visit to Myanmar by a Chinese president in 19 years.

As China and Myanmar's economies are complementary, the long-awaited state visit will stimulate the two countries to take a new step toward further economic cooperation, Chinese observers said.

Under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the advance of the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC), "No matter how Myanmar's internal situation changes, Chinese firms remain the top investors in Myanmar in terms of cumulative foreign direct investment," Liu Yin, chairman of the Myanmar-China Entrepreneur Association, told the Global Times.

Chinese landmark projects under the BRI include the China-Myanmar oil and gas pipeline, which allows China to import crude from the Middle East without passing through the Malacca Strait, as well as the Letpadaung Copper Mine, a mutually beneficial project jointly built by companies from China and Myanmar.

As a number of BRI infrastructure projects that boost connectivity are in full swing, trade between China and Myanmar will see a new increase this year, according to Liu.

He said that seafood exports may be the next growth point for bilateral trade.

"With a 2,000-kilometer coastline, Myanmar's aquaculture industry is growing very fast. If its infrastructure improves and transportation times are reduced, more seafood products such as fish and shrimp will be sent to China," Liu said.

In the first nine months of 2019, bilateral trade grew 17.9 percent year-on-year to $13.54 billion, according to data from China's Ministry of Commerce. China mainly exports industrial products to Myanmar, while Myanmar ships natural gas, oil, rice, soybeans, meat and fruits to China.

Gu Xiaosong, an expert on Southeast Asian studies at the Guangxi Academy of Social Sciences, suggested that China and Myanmar could also cooperate more in processing industries, such as the processing of agricultural products.

"With vast cheap land, Myanmar is looking to develop its processing industries to boost its economy. At the same time, many Chinese companies are thinking of moving their manufacturing to Southeast Asian countries," Gu told the Global Times on Monday. "Why not choose Myanmar as a destination along with their past choices like Vietnam?"

Analysts said that a flourishing relationship involving the BRI and CMEC will be a game changer, helping Myanmar fully leverage its geographic advantage and population dividends. "In such a way, the nation could speed up its economic development and improve living standards," Liu noted.

Khin Maung Lynn, joint secretary of the Myanmar Institute of Strategic and International Studies, told the Global Times that the BRI may even pave the way toward peaceful settlements of disputes and help solve internal conflicts in Myanmar.

Myanmar is now one of the poorest countries in Asia. Last year, its GDP stood at $71.21 billion, which compared with GDP of 1.79 trillion yuan ($259.35 billion) in bordering Southwest China's Yunnan Province.

Being the most southwestern province in China, Yunnan has an area of 394,100 square kilometers and a population of about 46 million. Myanmar is the largest of the mainland Southeast Asian states by area, with an area of 676,578 square kilometers and a population of about 54 million.

But giving the full picture of the benefits of BRI projects to local people remains a challenge, industry insiders warned.

"Some locals could be easily misled by the so-called debt trap or China Threat created by some Westerners and non-governmental organizations. Facilitating mutual understanding is an urgent task for us," Liu said.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1176680.shtml

 

[Stranagor]

Full text of Xi's signed article on Myanmese newspapers

Source:Xinhua Published: 2020/1/16

Photo taken on Jan. 11, 2020 shows the Shwedagon Pagoda, one of the most sacred Buddhist pagodas in Myanmar. Photo:Xinhua


A signed article by Chinese President Xi Jinping titled "Writing a New Chapter in Our Millennia-Old Pauk-Phaw Friendship" was published Thursday on three Myanmese newspapers ahead of his state visit to this Southeast Asian country.

An English version of the full text of the article, carried by Myanma Alinn Daily, The Mirror and The Global New Light of Myanmar, is as follows:

***

Writing a New Chapter in Our Millennia-Old Pauk-Phaw Friendship

Xi Jinping

President of the People's Republic of China


As we mark the 70th anniversary of China-Myanmar diplomatic relations, it gives me great pleasure to pay a state visit to Myanmar at the invitation of President U Win Myint. I visited this beautiful land in 2009, and was deeply impressed by its serene landscape, diverse cultures and hardworking people. With the upcoming visit, I look forward to renewing China's "pauk-phaw" ties with Myanmar and discussing our future cooperation.

China and Myanmar are close neighbors connected by shared mountains and rivers. Our people have lived alongside each other for thousands of years. In Myanmar language, pauk-phaw means siblings from the same mother. It is an apt description of the fraternal sentiments between our two peoples, whose close ties date back to ancient times. As early as the 4th century B.C., our ancestors began to trade with each other through the "Gold and Silver Road" linking China's Sichuan and Yunnan provinces with Myanmar and India. In the heyday of China's Tang Dynasty in the early 9th century, the Prince of Pyu led a troupe of dancers and musicians on a visit to Chang'an (the capital of Tang Dynasty known today as Xi'an). Their enchanting performance was celebrated by Bai Juyi, the foremost Chinese poet of his time, in an ode to music from the kingdom of Pyu. Soon after the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, Myanmar was the first of countries with a different social system to recognize New China. The elder statesmen of our two countries have since made enormous efforts to develop China-Myanmar relations. Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai, who visited Myanmar nine times, is still fondly remembered for celebrating Thingyan Festival together with the people of Myanmar while dressed in traditional local attire.

Throughout the 70 years of our diplomatic ties, China and Myanmar have together championed and put into practice the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. Our relationship has been marked by mutual trust, mutual respect and mutual support. It has become a prime example of equality, win-win cooperation and common development between countries of different sizes. Our close ties have delivered real benefits to people in both countries.

--We have further cemented political mutual trust. In the 1960s, Myanmar became the first among China's neighbors to settle the boundary issue with China in the spirit of equal consultation, mutual understanding and mutual accommodation. Today, our two countries enjoy close high-level exchanges, and our comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership is growing steadily. China firmly supports Myanmar in pursuing a development path suited to its national conditions. China supports the efforts of the Myanmar government to promote peace and reconciliation, and supports Myanmar in safeguarding its legitimate rights and interests and national dignity in the international arena. Myanmar, for its part, has given China staunch support on issues involving China's core interests and major concerns.

--We have further expanded our practical cooperation. The economies of China and Myanmar are highly complementary, promising great room for cooperation. China has long been Myanmar's largest trading partner and most important source of investment. Our bilateral trade reached 16.8 billion U.S. dollars in the first 11 months of 2019. More and more agricultural and livestock products from Myanmar are making their way to Chinese kitchens. Fruitful cooperation is taking place in infrastructure construction and many other fields. With Myanmar as an important partner country of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), our two sides have capitalized on the convergence of our development strategies. We have signed cooperation documents on building the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC) and established a joint CMEC committee to oversee steady progress.

--We have further strengthened people-to-people bonds. Our vibrant cultural, religious and personnel exchanges provide solid support for deepening our pauk-phaw friendship. China's national treasure, the Buddha tooth relic, was displayed four times in Myanmar for public obeisance. With donations from Myanmar, a Myanmese-style shrine has been built at the White Horse Temple in Luoyang, Henan province of China. With the help of Chinese doctors and nurses, many cataract patients in Myanmar have had their sight restored and children with congenital heart disease have received proper medical care. Popular Chinese films and TV programs have found a wide audience in Myanmar.

This year, China will achieve its First Centenary Goal of ushering in a moderately prosperous society in all respects. Myanmar is making continuous progress in economic and social development. As we mark the 70th anniversary of our diplomatic relations, it is important that we carry forward our traditional friendship and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, so that we will bring China-Myanmar relations into a new era.

-- We need to draw a new blueprint for bilateral ties by strengthening strategic communication. Our two sides may continue to harness the vital role of high-level exchanges in guiding our relations, step up communication and coordination at all levels and share development experience. It is important that we continue to show strong mutual support on issues concerning each other's core interests. By deepening our comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with a strategic and long-term perspective, we will make the idea of building a community with a shared future take root in the hearts and minds of our people. China supports Myanmar in advancing the peace and reconciliation process through political dialogue. The two sides may work together to ensure peace and stability along our border.

-- We need to bring new impetus to our mutually beneficial cooperation by deepening trade and economic exchanges. Our two sides need to deepen results-oriented Belt and Road cooperation and move from a conceptual stage to concrete planning and implementation in building the CMEC. Efforts need to be made to promote the three pillars of the CMEC, namely the Kyaukpyu Special Economic Zone, the China-Myanmar Border Economic Cooperation Zone and the New Yangon City. We also need to deepen practical and mutually beneficial cooperation in such areas as connectivity, electricity, energy, transportation, agriculture, finance and livelihood to deliver more benefits to both peoples.

-- We need to add new substance to our pauk-phaw friendship by scaling up exchanges and mutual learning. Our two sides have designated 2020 as the China-Myanmar Year of Culture and Tourism. Myanmar's charming natural scenery and fascinating cultural heritage will surely attract more and more Chinese tourists. To celebrate the 70th anniversary of our diplomatic ties, the two sides will host a string of events to expand exchanges and cooperation on education, religion, media, movies and TV programs. Such joint events will help strengthen public support for China-Myanmar friendship, thus cementing and re-energizing our pauk-phaw friendship.

-- We need to make new progress in regional peace and stability by enhancing coordination and cooperation. Confronted by rising unilateralism and protectionism, our two countries need to strengthen coordination and collaboration in the multilateral fora, such as in the United Nations and within the framework of East Asia cooperation and Lancang-Mekong cooperation. In this new era, we need to champion the spirit of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, encourage efforts to foster a new type of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness, justice and win-win cooperation, and strive to build a community with a shared future for mankind.

In China and Myanmar, people have similar sayings to the effect that more exchanges will bring families and friends closer together. In this 70th anniversary year, China-Myanmar relations stand at a new starting point. Let us work hand in hand to build an even closer China-Myanmar community with a shared future and write a new chapter for our millennia-old pauk-phaw friendship.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1177033.shtml

@Aung Zaya

 

[MINN]

Myanmar Air Force Mig-29 escort Xi's plane