Chinese President Xi Jinping reaffirmed Beijing’s support for Myanmar’s leadership during a visit by Myanmar’s President Min Aung Hlaing, marking a significant moment in China-Myanmar relations amid ongoing conflict in the latter. The visit, which began earlier this week and includes several days of talks in Beijing, is Min Aung Hlaing’s first state visit to China since assuming the presidency in April following a controversial parliamentary election.

At a welcome ceremony held at the Great Hall of the People, Xi emphasized the importance of Myanmar in China's regional diplomacy, describing the two countries’ relationship as rooted in “pauk-phaw” friendship—a Burmese term signifying close bilateral ties. Xi highlighted the need for both nations to maintain strategic unity and cooperation in the face of an “international situation intertwined with changes and turbulence.”

The visit underscores Beijing’s role as a key regional player, positioned as Myanmar’s closest neighbor with a 2,000-kilometer shared border. China has expressed concern over the escalating violence in Myanmar since the military coup in 2021, which ousted the elected government and sparked a civil war involving the military, resistance forces, and ethnic armed groups. Stability along the border is a priority for Beijing, which seeks to safeguard its national security and economic interests.

During their private discussions, Xi and Min Aung Hlaing witnessed the signing of 18 memorandums of understanding covering diverse areas such as cross-border transport within the Greater Mekong subregion, free trade arrangements, disaster relief cooperation, healthcare, and media collaboration. A focal point of the talks was the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor, part of China’s broader Belt and Road Initiative designed to enhance trade connectivity between southwestern China and the Indian Ocean. Xi urged steady progress on the corridor, while Min Aung Hlaing affirmed Myanmar’s commitment to deepen comprehensive cooperation and vowed to protect Chinese businesses and personnel operating in the country.

Although China remains Myanmar’s largest trading partner and leading investor, local Chinese infrastructure projects have faced delays amid ongoing hostilities. Myanmar’s economy has suffered significant setbacks since the coup, further compounded by natural disasters and inflation driven by rising energy costs due to the war in Iran. The military government reportedly seeks to reopen key trade routes to China, which have been restricted to prevent conflict spillover.

Min Aung Hlaing’s visit follows a recent trip to India, where he and Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to fast-track infrastructure initiatives, including a trilateral highway linking India, Myanmar, and Thailand. Myanmar’s strategic position as a corridor from China to the Indian Ocean is underscored by Chinese investments in pipelines, gas, and oil networks, as well as a planned $1.3 billion deep-sea port on the Bay of Bengal, which could provide China with alternative maritime access to Middle Eastern energy supplies.

In their joint remarks, Xi reiterated support for peaceful dialogue aimed at reconciliation among Myanmar’s factions to stabilize the border region. Min Aung Hlaing pledged continued cooperation with China to combat cybercrime, an increasing concern linked to cross-border illicit activities in recent months. The visit signals Beijing’s ongoing engagement with Myanmar’s military-led government amid regional and international scrutiny of the political and humanitarian crisis in Myanmar.