Xi and Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing Sign Cooperation Documents in Beijing
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing jointly attended a cooperation document signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Tuesday, marking the centerpiece of Min Aung Hlaing’s five-day state visit to China. The event underscored deepening diplomatic and economic ties between the two neighbors, with a focus on infrastructure projects under the Belt and Road Initiative and enhanced security cooperation.
A Strategic Visit
Min Aung Hlaing arrived in Beijing on June 15 at the invitation of President Xi, in what was his first visit to China since being elected President of Myanmar in April 2026. The visit comes at a pivotal time for Myanmar, which has faced international isolation since the military-led government assumed power in 2021.
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian described the relationship ahead of the visit, stating that China and Myanmar are “traditional friendly neighbors and a community with a shared future” who have “stood together through thick and thin” over 76 years of diplomatic relations, as reported by People’s Daily.
According to China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the visit aimed to “carry forward the ‘pauk-phaw’ (fraternal) friendship” and “deepen the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership” between the two nations.
Economic Cooperation at the Forefront
China has remained Myanmar’s largest trading partner, largest source of imports, and most important source of investment for many consecutive years. Bilateral trade reached $19.4 billion in 2025, up 19.1% year-on-year, according to data cited in the research.
Key infrastructure projects discussed during the visit include the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC), a flagship Belt and Road Initiative project; the planned China-Myanmar Railway connecting Kunming to Kyaukphyu; and the Kyaukphyu Deep-Sea Port on the Bay of Bengal, which would provide China with strategic access to the Indian Ocean.
Xu Liping, Director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told Global Times that the visit “provides an opportunity for China and Myanmar to advance practical cooperation in multiple areas,” adding that “whether in promoting energy and mineral resource projects or implementing the four major global initiatives proposed by China, there remains substantial room for cooperation.”
Security Collaboration
Joint operations targeting online gambling and telecom fraud have emerged as a notable area of practical cooperation. According to research sources, 952 Chinese telecom fraud suspects have been repatriated from Myanmar’s Myawaddy region as part of joint China-Myanmar-Thailand law enforcement efforts.
Myanmar Foreign Minister Tin Maung Swe affirmed his country’s commitment, stating that “Myanmar will continue to resolutely combat online gambling and telecom fraud and make every effort to safeguard the safety of Chinese personnel, institutions and projects in Myanmar,” as reported by Global Times.
Regional Balancing Act
Min Aung Hlaing’s visit to China followed closely after his official visit to India from May 30 to June 3, his first overseas trip as president. This sequence reflects Myanmar’s efforts to balance relations between its two major neighbors, both of whom are competing for influence in the strategically located Southeast Asian nation.
Analysis and Implications
China’s willingness to host Min Aung Hlaing signals Beijing’s continued engagement with Myanmar’s leadership despite international criticism, consistent with China’s foreign policy of non-interference in other nations’ internal affairs. Western media, including Reuters, have framed the visit in the context of Min Aung Hlaing seeking legitimacy, while Chinese state media emphasizes the “pauk-phaw” friendship and mutual development.
Myanmar occupies a unique strategic position as China’s only neighboring country with direct overland access to the Indian Ocean, making it a critical gateway for China’s Belt and Road Initiative to connect with both South Asia and Southeast Asia.
What to Watch For
The specific cooperation documents signed during the ceremony have not yet been detailed in initial reporting. Observers will be watching for concrete progress on the China-Myanmar Railway and Kyaukphyu Deep-Sea Port projects, as well as China’s continued role in mediating ceasefires between Myanmar’s military and ethnic armed groups in northern Shan State. The visit’s impact on Myanmar’s post-earthquake reconstruction efforts and the international community’s response to China’s engagement with Myanmar’s military-aligned government will also be significant developments to monitor.