Wednesday, September 12, 2012

China understands Burma’s reform process: Chinese ambassador

0 comments
 
Wednesday, 12 September 2012 13:03 Mizzima News

Prior to the arrival of China's top legislator Wu Bangguoin to Burma on Wednesday, China’s ambassador to Burma has given an interview to the state-run Xinhua news agency.

Chinese Ambassador Li Junhua with Tun Yi, the chairman of the National Unity Party in April 2012. Photo: mm.china-embassy.org

Wu, the chairman of the Standing Committee of the People's Congress of China, will visit Burma from Wednesday to Saturday.

Chinese Ambassador Li Junhua said on Tuesday that the two countries are maintaining high level exchanges, raising strategic trust, increasing economic and trade cooperation and launching friendly cooperation in business sectors.

Li said that China respects and understands Burma’s reform and opening up process, reiterating that China will maintain a diplomatic policy of staying on good terms with its neighbor and working in partnership.

The ambassador noted that chairman Wu is the most senior leader to visit Burma in nearly a decade.

During the visit, he said, Wu will meet Burmese political leaders and exchange views on areas of cooperation.

Li said there has been a steady growth in China-Burma economic and trade cooperation in both scale and level. For 2011, he said bilateral trade totaled US$ 6. 5 billion, up 46.3 per cent.

China's investment in Burma also reached $20.26 billion by the end of last year, leading in Burma’s foreign trade and foreign investment. In the first six months of this year, bilateral trade amounted to $2.6 billion.

Li noted that for the past several years, China has contributed heavily  to Burma’s socioeconomic development, and also bilateral relations have been highlighted by exchanges in the culture sector, citing the tour of a Chinese Buddha tooth relic to Burma for public display, as well as a Chinese cultural troupe's visit. He said such exchanges have brought closer the mutual links between the Buddhist circles, between artists and between the peoples of the two countries.

On the occasion of Burma’s hosting of the 27th Southeast Asian Games next year, Li said China would be willing to help in the successful staging of the event.

Ambassador Li said the visit of chairman Wu to Burma would enhance relations between the leaders of the two countries on bilateral issues and also on regional hot issues.

Leave a Reply