Ambassador Hong Liang：China Excited By Myanmar's New Path to Development

By Wang Fengjuan

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Ambassador Hong Liang：China Excited By Myanmar's New Path to Development

By Wang Fengjuan

Chinese Ambassador to Myanmar Hong Liang sees Myanmar's new government as an opportunity for increasingly positive bilateral relations and projects.

The National League for Democracy led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi won the 2015 presidential election in Myanmar to usher in a new era in the country. Will this bring any major changes in relations between China and Myanmar？ Will China have to adjust its policies toward Myanmar？ China Report ASEAN conducted an interview with Hong Liang, Chinese Ambassador to Myanmar, to get his perspective on the development of the bilateral relations between China and Myanmar. The interview with Ambassador Hong is refected in the following transcript.

CHINA REPORT ASEAN： How will China-Myanmar ties change with a new government coming to power in Myanmar？

HONG LIANG： We expect to see better ties between China and Myanmar when the new government takes power. During the 66 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties between our two countries, the international and regional situation has undergone great changes. There have also been great changes in the domestic situation of our two countries. No matter what the changes, however, bilateral ties have moved forward satisfactorily. What is important is that both countries have long taken the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence as the guide for the development of bilateral ties. Tese principles have been widely accepted by members of the international community, and what China and Myanmar have done constitutes a major contribution to the international community. When the newly elected government begins work, we will continue to operate in accordance with these principles. So long as we can uphold the Five Principles, China and Myanmar have a bright future.

CHINA REPORT ASEAN： Will China continue to undertake construction of the Myitsone Hydropower Station under the new Myanmar Government？ Please talk to us about China's plan for the construction of the China-Myanmar highway and railway.

HONG LIANG： Te problems facing the construction of the Myitsone Hydropower Station are an aspect of the China-Myanmar trade relationship. China will handle the problem on the principle of friendly consultations. Chinese businesses suffered huge losses due to the suspension of this project. China will maintain a dialogue with the new Myanmar government so as to find a solution acceptable to both parties. We also know that the Myanmar people are very much concerned about the Myitsone project. NLD chairperson Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has also said China-Myanmar cooperation projects should have transparency. We will continue to hold a dialogue with the new government of Myanmar and, at the same time, maintain contacts with Myanmar citizens.

Turning to your other question, Chinese companies are actively involved in planning road and rail projects between Myanmar and China. According to friends from Myanmar involved in industry and commerce, trade between the two countries, in particular border trade, is growing at a fast pace, but existing transport links fail to meet current needs. Some farm produce now rots away on long journeys. This points to the need to build roads and railways in Myanmar sothat Myanmar products can be exported to China smoothly for the beneft of farmers in Myanmar.

Today, much foreign capital is pouring into Myanmar as the nation embarks on the initial stages of reform and development. It will lose the benefts of foreign capital if it fails to improve its infrastructure. Tis also means losing a wonderful opportunity for economic development and improving the investment environment by building roads and bridges. We are glad to see Myanmar has announced its membership in the China-proposed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, which China expects has a key role to play in helping Myanmar improve its infrastructure.

CHINA REPORT ASEAN： What will China do to adjust its Myanmar policy when the new government comes to power？

HONG LIANG： As I have said, China-Myanmar relations are based on the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. The political system of Myanmar is entirely in the hands of the Myanmar people. China strongly opposes any foreign power intervening in the internal afairs of any country, and China also opposes anyone frequently using sanction as a means to put pressure on another country. China thinks the international community should create a good environment for the country facing sanctions to properly solve its own problems.

The Myanmar people have decided to embark on the road to democratic reform, and they have China's strong support from start to fnish. Beginning with the formulation of the seven-step road map, China staunchly supports Myanmar in its independent choice of path to development. China will support the decision made by the Myanmar people and the Myanmar Government.

In the past, we have also done a lot for the Myanmar people, such as the construction of the Yangon Thanlyin Bridge, which China built in the 1980s. At that time, China was economically poor, but did not hesitate to offer help when the Myanmar people needed it. Te bridge benefts both peoples, and plays good role in Myanmar's construction of the Tilawa Economic Zone. I hope you will see that China supports Myanmar with a view to defending its national dignity, just as it supported construction of the Yangon Tanlyin Bridge out of the Chinese intention of helping improve the livelihoods of the Myanmar people when the military government held power.

When Myanmar was hit by serious foods last year, I went to the worst-hit areas. Holding my hands in theirs, Myanmar folks tearfully thanked China for its prolonged aid and support. Thus, friendship between the Chinese and Myanmar peoples is solid with deep roots.

CHINA REPORT ASEAN： Does China have any plan regarding people-to-people exchange？

HONG LIANG： In the past, China mainly focused on contacts with the Myanmar Government out of the respect for the special political system prevailing then. Myanmar is now open, and we have more chances of contacts with ordinary people.

Chinese enterprises attach great importance to social responsibility in the projects they undertake in Myanmar. They strive to be one with the Myanmar people, working together to achieve development goals. In 2015, when Myanmar sufered from serious floods, all Chinese enterprises in Myanmar plunged into relief work, earning strong praise from locals. This is a good start, and we will do more in the future. We will increase investment in projects related to people's livelihoods and projects which win the hearts of the general public. Right now, the China-Myanmar Friendship Association and the Myanmar-China Friendship Association are working together to undertake the “China-Myanmar Friendship Well”project, which will beneft the public. Wells dug by the Chinese to cope with drought will obviously be good for the Myanmar people.

We will also work hard to help cultivate Myanmar talents to help solve the bottlenecks in national economic development. The Chinese Embassy to Myanmar now cooperates with the Myanmar Government and non-governmental organizations in the field of education. Our friendship school project is geared to help improve technology available to Myanmar schools. Students of these school will be given opportunities to visit or study in China, conducting direct exchanges with Chinese people and Chinese schools. These young people are seeds of friendship sown among both peoples. In addition, the Chinese Government is building hospitals in Myanmar. Projects include a children's hospital in Mandalay and a general hospital in the suburbs of Yangon. We chose the latter because we intend to give rural people a chance to obtain medical care and also to avoid traffic jams in the downtown area.