Xi Jinping pledges firm support for Myanmar sovereignty in meeting with Min Aung Hlaing

Beijing— Chinese President Xi Jinping said China “firmly supports” Myanmar in safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity during talks in Beijing with Myanmar’s leader Min Aung Hlaing, state media reported on Tuesday, underscoring continued close ties between the two countries amid Myanmar’s ongoing civil conflict.

The meeting took place at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People following a ceremonial reception, according to China’s state broadcaster CCTV, and comes as Myanmar’s military government seeks to consolidate political legitimacy following the 2021 coup that ousted the elected administration of Aung San Suu Kyi.

China has remained Myanmar’s most significant external partner since Western countries severed or downgraded ties after the coup, and has played a role as a regional power broker in efforts to manage the country’s civil war and border stability.

Xi told Min Aung Hlaing that China supports Myanmar in balancing development and security and pursuing a development path aligned with national conditions, while also calling for continued cooperation between the two countries on combating transnational crimes such as online fraud, illegal gambling and drug trafficking.

The Chinese president also emphasised the importance of dialogue among all parties in Myanmar to advance peace and reconciliation, describing the bilateral relationship as one that has “stood together through thick and thin,” according to state media.

Min Aung Hlaing’s visit to Beijing, his second since becoming civilian president in 2021, comes amid ongoing conflict inside Myanmar and increasing scrutiny of cross-border scam networks operating in border regions, which have affected Chinese citizens.

Beijing has also maintained defence and economic ties with Myanmar’s military authorities, while supporting limited ceasefires brokered with some armed groups operating along the countries’ shared border.

Myanmar’s political crisis, triggered by the 2021 military takeover, has fuelled armed conflict across the country and contributed to severe economic disruption, while also increasing its strategic importance in regional supply chains, including rare earth mineral production.