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HONG LIANG:BELT AND ROAD THE THEME OF CHINA-MYANMAR COOPERATION

ByWang Fengjuan

Chinese Ambassador to Myanmar speaks on how cooperation in trade, agriculture, education and medicine will help Myanmar grow

The Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, which was held in Beijing on May 14-15, was an event of vital importance in promoting regional and international cooperation. In an interview with China Report ASEAN before the event, Chinese Ambassador to Myanmar Hong Liang shared his opinions on China-Myanmar relations and their joint endeavors relating to the Belt and Road Initiative.

>> China Report ASEAN: Myanmar is now in a period of transition. How would you describe current China-Myanmar relations?

Hong Liang:China-Myanmar relations now enjoy strong development momentum. Since the establishment of Myanmar’s new government, the bilateral relations have achieved a good start, with frequent top-level exchanges and further strengthened political mutual trust. Myanmar’s State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi paid a visit to China last August and met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. They reached important consensus on joint construction of the Belt and Road, and fully exchanged their views on promoting bilateral cooperation in trade, agriculture, education and medical care. In April this year, Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw visited China and reached broad consensus with President Xi and other Chinese leaders on bilateral relations and cooperation. In mid-May, Aung San Suu Kyi will attend the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation held in Beijing and will meet with Chinese leaders again.

At present, realizing peace and development is the major task for Myanmar. As Myanmar’s largest trading partner, its largest source of foreign capital and its largest neighboring country, China has the ability and resources to help Myanmar with its economic development. Economic and social progress is the foundation of stability for Myanmar, which is also important for improving China’s surrounding environment. Maintaining peace is significant to not only stability on the China-Myanmar border but also friendly cooperation between the two countries. To this end, a Chinese Foreign Ministry’s Special Envoy on Asian Affairs has been appointed to facilitate peace negotiations between Myanmar’s government and armed ethnic groups in the country, whose efforts have received recognition from parties concerned in Myanmar, as well as the international community. China believes in the principle of non-interference in other country’s internal affairs, and we also do what we say. We hold a positive attitude towards the national reconciliation and the peace process in Myanmar.

>> China Report ASEAN: Could you introduce the joint construction of the Belt and Road as promoted by China and Myanmar?

Hong Liang, the Chinese Ambassador to Myanmar.

Hong Liang:With strong support from Myanmar’s government, political parties and society, joint endeavors on the Belt and Road Initiative are an important theme of Sino-Myanmar cooperation at present and in the years to come. To achieve development, Myanmar first needs to build an economic belt along the Irrawaddy River. The belt runs through major cities including Yangon, Nay Pyi Daw and Mandalay, and extends northwards to China, which is conducive to the construction of the China-Myanmar economic corridor. Building the economic corridor is a consensus reached by governments of both countries. We should seize the opportunity to allow Myanmar people to benefit as quickly as possible.

As Myanmar is in the early stages of development, some of its laws and regulations still have much room for improvement. Due to a lack of experience, it is difficult for some Chinese enterprises to avoid problems when investing in Myanmar. Therefore, companies and local governments need to strengthen communication and make efforts to resolve contradictions before they become acute. Meanwhile, enterprises need to build their own capacity and constantly seek solutions to the problems they encounter. They should focus not only on doing business, but also on corporate social responsibility. Now, more and more Chinese firms are actively participating in Myanmar’s livelihood, education, healthcare and other public welfare projects.

>> China Report ASEAN: What do you think of the idea of promoting people-topeople connectivity? How did your work experience at the grassroots level help with your role as a Chinese diplomat in Myanmar?

Hong Liang:There are shared similarities in the needs of people all over the world, so cooperation between countries is sure to promote people-to-people connectivity as long as they are in line with public opinion. In the internet era, the channels of expression of the popular will are more diversified, exerting an increasingly great influence on national policy. Serving people of the two countries, an arduous task covering a broad range of areas, has long been the purpose of developing China-Myanmar relations. In recent years, the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar has launched a series of projects aimed at enhancing exchanges between the two peoples, such as the China-Myanmar Friendship School Network, China-Myanmar friendship hospitals, the China-Myanmar friendship forest project and the Pauk-Phaw scholarship program. The first China-Myanmar Pauk-Phaw Friendship Day was held on June 8, 2016, a day that marked the 66th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. In fact, China has selflessly assisted Myanmar for a long time. We provided assistance in the construction of the Yangon-Thanlyin Bridge, bringing convenience to residents living on both sides of the Bago River.

>>China Report ASEAN: What are your expectations for the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation?

Hong Liang:Many high-ranking government officials, including Myanmar’s State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, will attend the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. We believe that the success of the Forum will have a positive and far-reaching influence on China-Myanmar joint efforts to build the Belt and Road. President Xi Jinping noted that China welcomes all countries to ride on its development, so I firmly believe that Myanmar will benefit from the Initiative.

Following the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, we hope the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative will contribute to economic growth and better the livelihoods of people in developing countries, as well as make positive contributions to world peace and development.