Xi greeted with gusto in Myanmar
Visit is first by a Chinese head of state in 19 years; long friendship celebrated
China is willing to consolidate and deepen its pauk-phaw friendship with Myanmar and jointly build a China-Myanmar community with a shared future, visiting President Xi Jinping said on Friday in Nay Pyi Taw.
Xi made the remarks in a meeting with Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi after a grand welcoming ceremony hosted by his Myanmar counterpart, President U Win Myint, at the country’s presidential palace. The two leaders agreed to hold talks on Saturday to exchange views about bilateral relations and other issues of mutual concern.
During the meeting, Xi thanked the Myanmar government and the people for their warm welcome and said China firmly supports Myanmar in pursuing a development path it chooses on its own.
The state counsellor described Xi’s visit as “long expected” by Myanmar, and said it has special importance as the two countries celebrate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties.
Saying Myanmar highly appreciates and values China’s strong support, she said the pauk-phaw friendship between the two countries has been tested by time, and only they themselves understand the essence of the relationship.
China has been Myanmar’s good friend, Aung San Suu Kyi said, and her country stands ready to work with China to build a community with a shared future. She added that Xi’s visit will move forward bilateral ties to achieve new development.
On Friday, Xi also held talks with U Win Myint and attended a welcoming banquet hosted by him.
The visit is Xi’s first overseas trip this year, and is the first visit to Myanmar by a Chinese president after an interval of 19 years. The visit hit the headlines of Myanmar’s media and was hailed by local people as a historic trip to consolidate the traditional friendship and intensify bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
The English language newspaper Myanmar Times reported on Friday that the Chinese leader’s visit is seen as an attempt to further establish bilateral relations and push ahead the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor concept, as well as other projects under the Belt and Road Initiative.
Hla Kyaw Zaw, an observer of Myanmar-China relations based in Yangon, said Xi’s decision to make his first overseas trip of the year to Myanmar demonstrates the importance China attaches to its relationship with the member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Zaw Lin Oo, a Yangon resident, said he heard news that Myanmar and China will sign a number of cooperation agreements during Xi’s visit. He expressed hope that the visit will help strengthen bilateral economic collaboration and create more opportunities for young people like him.
May Myat Noe Thu, who worked for the local branch of Yunnan Yuntianhua Co in Myanmar, said this is a good opportunity for Myanmar to be involved in the BRI and boost its development. She said she hopes China will assist in the country’s peace process.
Myanmar is attracting more and more Chinese tourists to explore the ancient cultural heritage and natural beauty in this neighboring country.
The Southeast Asian nation received 523,499 Chinese visitors from January to September last year, a year-on-year increase of 164 percent, according to figures from the country’s Ministry of Labor, Immigration and Population, which were quoted by Myanmar’s Eleven Media Group.
Now China has become Myanmar’s largest source of foreign tourists with the biggest increase in tourist numbers.
Peng Liang, a researcher with the big data lab of Ctrip, China’s largest online travel agency, said package tours are the choice of 80 percent of Chinese travelers to Myanmar.
According to Peng, attractions popular with Chinese tourists include the Shwedagon Pagoda, the most sacred Buddhist pagoda in Myanmar; Mandalay Palace, the last royal palace of the last Burmese monarch, U Bein Bridge; and Ngwe Saung Beach.
Wendy Min enjoyed her trip to the country in 2013, during which she visited cities including Yangon, Bagan and Mandalay.
“The travel sites, local people and their hospitality really made me fall in love with the country,” she said, “and I really want to visit again if I have a chance”.
Travel to Myanmar from China has boomed especially in the past two years partly due to eased visa regulations and the growth in direct flights between the two countries.
Starting from Oct 1, 2018, the Myanmar government introduced a trial policy that grants visas on arrival to Chinese visitors with ordinary passports. In September, the policy was extended to Sept 30 this year.
Currently, China tops the list of international airlines in Myanmar, with flights by 13 Chinese airlines between Chinese cities and Yangon, Eleven Media Group reported.
There are more than 150 direct flights between the two countries every month, a figure seven times larger than three years ago.
A new direct flight line between Haikou in Hainan province to Yangon was opened on Tuesday night, bringing 171 passengers for a sightseeing tour of Myanmar.
Myanmar’s Ambassador to China U Myo Thant Pe said his country is expecting the number of Chinese tourists to reach nearly 2 million this year.
According to the ambassador, Myanmar enjoys beautiful natural scenery, a time-honored history and culture and hospitable people.
“We sincerely welcome Chinese friends to visit Myanmar. This will help to constantly deepen people-topeople communications between the two countries,” he said.
Chen Hai, China’s ambassador to Myanmar, told Xinhua News Agency that the two countries will further strengthen exchanges and cooperation in social and cultural fields through the combination of culture and tourism, thus facilitating mutual understanding and friendship between their peoples.