Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday expressed support for Myanmar’s military leader-turned-president Min Aung Hlaing during high-level talks in Beijing, underscoring deepening ties between the two neighbors as Myanmar continues to face civil conflict and international scrutiny.
The meeting focused on future development of bilateral relations, with China reaffirming its backing for Myanmar’s political leadership and stability efforts, according to state-run Xinhua.
“Beijing prioritises its ties with Naypyitaw as part of its diplomacy strategy with neighbouring nations,” Xi said, according to Xinhua, adding that China supports Myanmar’s efforts on development and national security.
“I am willing to continue strengthening our leadership over our countries’ bilateral ties, carry forward the brotherly friendship between our two peoples, deepen comprehensive strategic cooperation,” Xi said, according to China’s state broadcaster CCTV.
Min Aung Hlaing, the former junta chief who consolidated his position as president following contested elections earlier this year, is on a five-day state visit to China, his first since formalizing his political authority in Myanmar.
Xi also emphasized regional stability and development cooperation, noting the shared 2,200-kilometer (1,367-mile) border between the two countries and calling for closer coordination on cross-border security.
Beijing, Myanmar’s largest investor and a key diplomatic partner, has long maintained pragmatic relations with the country’s military leadership, according to analysts.
“The current engagement is thus more about continuity … (and) takes a long-term perspective,” said Moe Thuzar, senior fellow at the ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore.
Xi hosted Min Aung Hlaing at the Great Hall of the People with an official welcome ceremony before the two leaders held a closed-door meeting lasting less than an hour. They later oversaw the signing of 18 cooperation agreements, according to Xinhua.
The memorandums cover areas including cross-border transport in the Greater Mekong subregion, free trade, disaster relief, health cooperation and media collaboration.
China remains one of the most significant foreign partners of Myanmar’s military government, which seized power in 2021 after ousting the elected administration of Aung San Suu Kyi and triggering a nationwide armed uprising.
Xi reiterated China’s support for political reconciliation in Myanmar, saying stability in the country serves broader regional interests.
“China supports all parties in Myanmar advancing peace and reconciliation through dialogue, achieving lasting stability in northern Myanmar,” Xi said, according to Xinhua.
He also called for continued development of major infrastructure projects under the Belt and Road Initiative, including the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor linking China’s Yunnan province to the Indian Ocean via pipelines and planned port infrastructure.
However, many of these projects have been disrupted or threatened by ongoing fighting in areas affected by the civil war since the 2021 coup.
The Beijing visit marks Min Aung Hlaing’s second meeting with Xi in less than a year, following their encounter at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin last August.
Analysts say the repeated engagements signal a strengthening of ties with Beijing and a degree of diplomatic normalization for Myanmar’s military leadership, even as Western governments continue to isolate the junta.
