Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi has pledged to pay “special attention” to ties with China when her party takes office after its election triumph, and said foreign investments would need public support to help improve relations.
In an interview with China’s state-run Xinhua news agency, the National League for Democracy leader said Myanmar had no enemies, but relations with neighbors were more sensitive than others and needed to be carefully handled. China was Myanmar’s lifeline for two decades when sanctions prevented most western businesses and financial institutions from engaging with the country during military rule from 1962 to 2011 that left the nation underdeveloped.
But the stakes are now far higher for Beijing, with business competition heating up and the NLD’s anticipated sweeping-out of the last remnants of the old military guard with which Chinese firms enjoyed a close bond.
“We’ll pay special attention to our relations in order to make them smooth, effective and clear.”
Myanmar’s President Thein Sein lifted martial law in the restive Kokang region near China on Tuesday, saying peace had been restored.
Military rule was imposed in February after fighting erupted between the government and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, a rebel militia born out of the former Communist Party of Burma.
Suu Kyi said Myanmar’s foreign policy was about balance and China and Myanmar could have good friendship.
