She is already foreign minister and met her Chinese counterpart for talks on Tuesday, prioritising Beijing in her first foray into worldwide diplomacy since her National League for Democracy officially took power last week.
Advertisement
“On the basis of respecting Myanmar’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, China stands ready to play a conducive role in Myanmar’s national reconciliation in accordance with Myanmar’s needs and willingness”, the Chinese Foreign Minister told Suu Kyi on Tuesday.
After the meeting with Wang, Suu Kyi said the China-Myanmar relations is “very important politically, socially, and economically”.
For more on Wang Yi’s time in Myanmar, CRI’s Tu Yun spoke earlier with Jia Xiudong, Senior Research Fellow from China Institute of International Studies.
But relations became more less cordial after the previous government led by president, Thein Sein, a former general, abruptly suspended a major Chinese-backed dam project.
China is keen to resolve differences and resume the stalled Mysitone dam project in Myanmar, meant to send 90% of its power to China. “We will not change that attitude even though the government has changed”, said the Chinese foreign minister during a joint press conference with Suu Kyi in capital Naypyidaw.
A Reuters report on Tuesday said Chinese state-controlled commodity trader Guangdong Zhenrong Energy Co has won approval from the Myanmar government to build a long-planned $3 billion refinery in Myanmar in partnership with local parties including the energy ministry. “We want to improve the relationship between the two countries”, Wang said.
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s decision to appoint herself as foreign minister, rather than remaining an MP in parliament, smoothes the way in terms of diplomatic protocol for meetings with visiting foreign leaders.
Wang arrived here on his first visit to Myanmar within days of the new government taking office on March 30, Xinhua reported.
“A stable Myanmar under new systems with predictable national policies is in accordance with China’s national interests”, said the paper, published by the ruling Communist Party’s official People’s Daily.
The visit, coming so soon after the setting up of the new Myanmar government, is significant. The Myanmar government is willing to work with China to enhance high-level exchanges and boost economic cooperation in order to elevate bilateral ties to a new high, she added.
Suu Kyi, who spent years under house arrest during Burma’s military regime, is constitutionally barred from becoming president because of a provision that prohibits those with a foreign spouse or foreign children from serving in that job.
Advertisement
The upper house of Parliament approved the bill on Friday, with military and opposition members voting against it.
