At the time Myitsone — – originally created to supply most of its electricity to China – was seen as emblematic of Beijing’s economic dominance over Myanmar.
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“She also said that she is willing to look for a resolution that suits both sides’ interests via both sides’ energy administrations’ cooperation”.
For her part, Aung San Suu Kyi expects the visit to further promote ties between the two nations.
Liu said Premier Li reaffirmed China’s support for efforts to bring peace to northern Myanmar.
In the first Myanmar visit by an Indian minister since a democratically elected government was instated there in March, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will next week travel to Naypyidaw and meet Aung San Suu Kyi.
“We do believe that as a good neighbour China will do everything possible to promote our peace process”, Suu Kyi told reporters in Beijing ahead of meeting China’s President Xi Jinping.
Several commentators said Chinese investment was still essential for Myanmar, but signalled that Beijing might be willing to make concessions on dam projects by consulting more with locals.
She is also looking to gradually expand economic cooperation with China as Myanmar transitions from a reclusive dictatorship to a democracy in order to rapidly develop her country’s poor infrastructure.
Suu Kyi was quoted by Chinese vice-foreign minister Liu Zhenmin as having told Premier Li that her government had chose to set up an “investigation board” to seek solutions to the problem. China is by far Myanmar’s largest trading partner, with total 2015 trade of $15.6 billion accounting for nearly half of the smaller country’s total, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
The $3.6 billion project, which was to be built on Myanmar’s Irrawaddy River, was suspended by the country’s previous government due to protests over its environmental impact. “I will stand on the side of thoroughly rejecting the Myitsone dam project”, said U Kyaw Nyein, executive committee member of the Forest Resource Environment Development and Conservation Association, adding that he had concluded that the negative consequences of the project going forward outweighed the benefits for Myanmar. “The more important projects will start taking off in the next three to four months”, she said.
China plays a delicate role in Myanmar’s ethnic disputes, especially in its northern borderland with China that is controlled by the Kachin and the Wa, who are ethnic Chinese.
Along with stalled projects, another friction-causing issue is fighting between Burma’s military and ethnic minority rebels along the border that has killed Chinese farmers and sent a flow of refugees into China.
According to Radio Free Asia, Suu Kyi and Li have agreed to work together to resolve the issue, amid Chinese hopes that the project will be restarted after five years of suspension.
Myanmar’s government has chose to allow non-signatory armed groups to the Nationwide Ceasefire Accord (NCA) to participate in the 21st Century Panglong Ethnic Conference to be held on August 31.
After the talks, the two governments signed an agreement on bilateral economic and technological cooperation and an exchange of feasibility research notes for the Kunlong Bridge in Myanmar.
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On Thursday, the ruling Communist Party of China lavished a ceremonial welcome at the Great Hall of the People on Suu Kyi, an honour usually reserved for heads of state.
