Myanmar Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi, right, shakes hands with Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni, left, after their meeting Wednesday, April 6, 2016, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar.
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NAYPYITAW, Myanmar (AP) – Myanmar’s high-profile new foreign minister, Aung San Suu Kyi, met her Canadian counterpart on Thursday, as dignitaries visit the country to meet the Nobel laureate. Her longtime confidante Htin Kyaw was sworn in as the country’s first democratically-elected president in March, ending 56 years of military rule. For his part, Wang echoed the State Councilor sentiments, but also briefly touched on impending challenges, saying the two nations must “reinforce high-level exchanges as soon as possible [and] properly tackle issues facing their cooperation”. There have been public demonstrations against the mine project, and two Chinese oil and gas pipelines that connect the two countries.
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.
The BBC’s Myanmar correspondent, Jonah Fisher, says it is unclear who will qualify as a political prisoner under the announcement, and whether it will apply to Myanmar’s many ethnic insurgencies. “The new government recognises China’s importance, but will also be keen to recalibrate aspects of the two countries’ relations”, said Nyantha Maw Lin, of advisory firm Vriens and Partners.
Wang’s call for peace in the border area shows that China wants the new government to further tackle the complicated situation there, Zhong said.
“It is hard for the military representatives to continue participating if (the bill) is voted through without review”, military MP Brigadier General Maung Maung told the chamber. Suu Kyi retained the foreign affairs portfolio and the role of minister of the president’s office.
In a sign the business relationship remains on track, 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 partnership with domestic parties, including the energy ministry.
“China is a good neighbor to Myanmar”.
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“I am going to try… for the immediate release of political prisoners, political activists and students facing trial related to politics”, Suu Kyi wrote in a statement published on Facebook.
