CHINA-MYANMAR/FOREIGN MINISTRY China says leaders will meet Myanmar's opposition leader Suu Kyi

Record ID: 150870

  • Title: CHINA-MYANMAR/FOREIGN MINISTRY China says leaders will meet Myanmar's opposition leader Suu Kyi
  • Date: 11th June 2015
  • Summary: BEIJING, CHINA (JUNE 11, 2015) (REUTERS) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN, HONG LEI, WALKING IN FOR REGULAR NEWS CONFERENCE JOURNALISTS SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN, HONG LEI, SAYING: "Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi arrived in Beijing and began her visit in China yesterday. Vice chairman of National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Co
  • Embargoed: 26th June 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: China
  • Country: China
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA645OT5PMHNE8MFAGXEXN227HJ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: China's Foreign Ministry said on Thursday (June 11) that leaders from the country and the party will meet Myanmar opposition leader and Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi on her first visit to the country.
    Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told media at a daily briefing that Suu Kyi arrived in Beijing on Wednesday (June 10).
    "Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi arrived in Beijing and began her visit in China yesterday. Vice chairman of National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative, minister of China's International Department of the Central Committee, Wang Jiarui met her delegation of Myanmar's National League for Democracy and exchanged views on deepening relations between the two parties. During the visit of Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi, leaders from China and from Chinese party will meet her," Hong said.
    Suu Kyi was due to meet Xi and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on the June 10-14 trip, according to her National League for Democracy (NLD), although China has kept details under wraps and it is not known if she will make any public appearances.
    Since taking power in March 2011, Myanmar's reformist government has sought to decrease the heavy dependence on China that grew when Myanmar was a pariah state under military rule.
    Beijing has watched nervously as the United States lifted some sanctions and engaged with the semi-civilian government.
    But China has been keen to reach out to Suu Kyi.
    The NLD is expected to do well in a general election in November, the first free vote in the country for 25 years.
    Suu Kyi is excluded from the presidency under a military-drafted constitution, but her power and influence will grow if the NLD performs as well as expected.
    The China-Myanmar relationship has been strained this year as stray army shells from fighting between the Myanmar government and ethnic Chinese rebels killed at least five people in China's south-western Yunnan province in March.
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