Xi, Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing Hold Talks in Beijing
Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on June 16, 2026, during the Myanmar leader’s five-day state visit to China. The meeting produced multiple cooperation agreements and reaffirmed the deep strategic partnership between the two neighboring countries, as reported by Xinhua News.
A Historic Bond Renewed
Xi opened the talks by emphasizing the deep “pauk-phaw” (胞波) fraternal bond between China and Myanmar, noting that over 76 years of diplomatic relations, the two countries have consistently stood together through challenges. Both nations jointly advocate and practice the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, setting what Xi described as “a model of equality and mutual benefit between nations.”
According to the Chinese Embassy in South Africa, Xi stated that China adheres to the principle of non-interference in internal affairs and that its friendly policy toward Myanmar is directed at all the people of Myanmar. He expressed support for Myanmar’s new government in finding a development path suited to its national conditions.
Min Aung Hlaing, who was sworn in as Myanmar’s president in April 2026 following controversial elections, reaffirmed Myanmar’s commitment to the One-China principle, stating that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China. He thanked China for its long-term support for Myanmar’s development, stability, and peaceful reconciliation.
Economic Corridor and Belt and Road Cooperation
A central focus of the talks was the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC), which Xi highlighted as a flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Both sides agreed to steadily advance key infrastructure projects while ensuring safety.
Bilateral trade between China and Myanmar reached $19.4 billion in 2025, a 19.1% increase year-on-year, making China Myanmar’s largest trading partner. Key priority projects include the China-Myanmar railway and the Kyaukphyu deep-sea port, which hold strategic importance as Myanmar serves as China’s only neighboring country with direct overland access to the Indian Ocean.
China also announced it will expand zero-tariff benefits for Myanmar and identified renewable energy, artificial intelligence, and the digital economy as emerging areas for future collaboration.
Security Cooperation and Cross-Border Crime
Both leaders agreed to intensify joint efforts against cross-border crimes, particularly online gambling, telecom fraud, and drug trafficking. These criminal activities have been persistent issues in the China-Myanmar border region, with criminal groups operating large-scale fraud operations targeting Chinese citizens from areas like Myawaddy.
In late 2025, Chinese, Myanmar, and Thai law enforcement launched a joint operation in Myawaddy that resulted in the repatriation of 952 Chinese telecom fraud suspects. Min Aung Hlaing pledged that Myanmar would fully ensure the safety of Chinese enterprises and personnel operating in the country.
Post-Earthquake Reconstruction Support
China expressed willingness to increase support for Myanmar’s post-earthquake reconstruction, pledging additional “small yet beautiful” assistance projects. Myanmar experienced a significant earthquake for which China has already offered reconstruction aid.
Myanmar’s Peace Process
Xi expressed China’s support for Myanmar’s efforts to advance peace and reconciliation through negotiations, with the goal of achieving long-term stability in northern Myanmar. China has played an active mediating role in ceasefire negotiations between Myanmar’s military and various ethnic armed organizations.
Signed Agreements and Ceremonial Events
Following the talks, the two leaders witnessed the signing of multiple cooperation documents covering transportation and people’s livelihood sectors. Earlier in the day, Xi held a formal welcome ceremony for Min Aung Hlaing at the North Hall of the Great Hall of the People, which included a 21-gun salute at Tiananmen Square and a review of the People’s Liberation Army honor guard. Xi later hosted a welcome banquet at the Golden Hall.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang also met with Min Aung Hlaing on the afternoon of June 16, focusing on BRI cooperation, trade expansion, and multilateral coordination, as reported by the Chinese Embassy in South Africa. Zhao Leji, Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, also held a separate meeting with the Myanmar president.
Strategic Implications
The visit provides Min Aung Hlaing’s new government with a significant diplomatic endorsement from China, enhancing its international standing amid ongoing Western sanctions and diplomatic isolation following the 2021 coup. For China, the deepening ties with Myanmar reinforce its strategy of engaging with all governments regardless of domestic political legitimacy, prioritizing stability and economic interests.
Myanmar’s strategic location as a land bridge to the Indian Ocean makes it a critical component of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, and the CMEC remains central to Beijing’s connectivity ambitions in Southeast Asia.
What to Watch
As both nations move forward with their signed agreements, key questions remain: whether the infrastructure projects can advance amid ongoing civil conflict in Myanmar, how China will balance its relationship with Myanmar’s military-backed government against its engagement with ethnic armed groups in border regions, and whether joint anti-fraud operations can achieve lasting results in dismantling entrenched criminal networks.
Min Aung Hlaing’s state visit continues through June 19, with further meetings and engagements expected to solidify the outcomes of this high-level diplomatic exchange.