Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, President of Myanmar, embarked on a five-day official visit to China, meeting President Xi Jinping in Beijing to strengthen diplomatic, trade, and security ties amid Myanmar’s growing reliance on China, its largest ally following Western sanctions since the 2021 coup.
China’s state broadcaster CCTV reported that President Xi Jinping held a grand state welcome ceremony for Senior General Min Aung Hlaing at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing before the two leaders engaged in official talks and signed joint cooperation agreements.
This Beijing visit marks Min Aung Hlaing’s first official trip to China as the "civilian president" after consolidating power through the general elections held late last year, which excluded the former State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi's party and resulted in a landslide victory for the military-backed party. Subsequently, the parliament elected Min Aung Hlaing president in April.
Richard Horsey, senior Myanmar advisor at the Crisis Group, analyzed that "Xi Jinping’s state-level reception clearly signals China’s readiness to treat Myanmar’s new government as an equal and full partner," representing a major diplomatic boost following Min Aung Hlaing’s recent visit to India and meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the end of last month, where he did not receive a similar level of state honor as in China.
Although the leaders’ handshake helps legitimize Myanmar internationally, analysts believe China’s primary concern is its own interests, including protecting projects under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), such as oil and gas pipelines running through Myanmar and plans to build a deep-sea port offering access to the Indian Ocean.
Moreover, Myanmar has become a key global supplier of rare earth minerals essential to China’s clean energy technology industries. Joining Min Aung Hlaing’s delegation were chief ministers from Kachin State, a major rare earth mining area, and Shan State, a strategic border trade zone.
Independent analyst Aung Zaw So in Thailand pointed out that another important topic likely discussed was the plan to revive the $3.6 billion Myitsone dam project in Kachin State, which has been suspended since 2011 after Myanmar’s second-highest military leader previously hinted at the possibility.
China-Myanmar relations have been tense in recent years due to cross-border call center gangs and online scam operations targeting Chinese citizens. Nevertheless, China remains Myanmar’s main arms and military equipment supplier and has acted as a mediator in ceasefire negotiations between the military and ethnic armed groups in border areas.
The civil war in Myanmar, erupting since the 2021 coup, has plunged the country into poverty, caused over 93,000 deaths, and displaced more than 3.7 million people.
Independent analyst David Mathieson believes China is unconcerned with democracy or federal order in Myanmar but prioritizes economic and security interests. As Western countries retreat, China is increasingly poised to assert comprehensive influence over Myanmar.
Additionally, Min Aung Hlaing’s visit draws attention due to China’s recent arrest of Min Zin, a prominent American-Myanmar academic, on suspicion of espionage, a matter that may be a confidential topic in the leaders’ talks. The visit will continue until Friday, with scheduled meetings with Premier Li Qiang and National People’s Congress Chairman Zhao Leji.