Chinese President Xi Jinping and military council leader Min Aung Hlaing met on May 9 to discuss the security of Chinese interests and personnel in Myanmar. During the meeting, the Chinese President directly requested practical guarantees for the safety and security of Chinese staff, organizations, and projects in Myanmar. They also discussed the effective suppression of cross-border crimes, including online gambling, telecommunications fraud, and other transnational criminal activities occurring in border regions.
Military council leader Min Aung Hlaing responded by emphasizing the importance he places on relations with China, stating that Myanmar would continue to position itself as China’s trusted partner. He guaranteed to maintain full responsibility for the security of Chinese projects and personnel while promising to enhance cooperation in economic, trade, and energy sectors. The meeting took place during Min Aung Hlaing’s visit to Moscow for the 80th anniversary celebration of World War II victory.
According to military sources in Naypyidaw, this meeting was arranged through Russian facilitation, as the military council leader had been seeking an opportunity to meet with the Chinese President. China remains Myanmar’s largest foreign investor, with numerous ongoing projects in economics, trade, energy, and infrastructure development between the two countries. The meeting highlighted the military council’s dependence on maintaining positive relations with China, particularly given the current political situation in Myanmar and the international community’s broader response to the military takeover.
