Myanmar military government chief on first visit to ally China since coup
Al Jazeera
Myanmar’s army chief to attend three summits in Kunming, China, as conflict near Chinese border escalates.
The head of Myanmar’s military government has embarked on his first visit to China since seizing power in 2021.
Senior General Min Aung Hlaing departed on Tuesday morning, according to state-run MRTV television. The visit will involve several regional meetings in a country regarded as Naypyidaw’s most important international ally.
Min Aung Hlaing led a coup in February 2021 that took power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy party.
However, his government has suffered recent setbacks on the battlefield as rebel fighters and armed ethnic minority groups fight against military rule, especially in areas near the Chinese border.
China is a major ally and arms supplier to the military government, but analysts say Beijing also maintains ties with ethnic armed groups which hold territory along its border.
