NAY PYI TAW, 20 June - Vice-Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Vice-Senior General Maung Aye and Vice-President of the People's Republic of China Mr. Xi Jinping held discussions at the eastern hall of the Great Hall of the People at 5.30 p.m. on 16 June.

Vice-Senior General Maung Aye was accompanied by Secretary-1 of the SPDC General Thiha Thura Tin Aung Myint Oo, member of the SPDC Lt-Gen Tin Aye, Lt-Gen Tha Aye and Maj-Gen Min Aung Hlaing of the Ministry of Defence, Minister for Foreign Affairs U Nyan Win, Minister for National Planning and Economic Development U Soe Tha, Minister for Electric Power No.1 Col Zaw Min, Minister for Commerce Brig-Gen Tin Naing Thein, Minister for Energy Brig-Gen Lun Thi, Director-General of SPDC Office Col Kyaw Kyaw Win, Director-General U Kayw Kyaw of the Protocol Department and Director-General U Kyaw Tin of Political Department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Director-General Daw Myo Nwe of Foreign Economic Relations Department of the Ministry of NPED and officials.

The Chinese Vice-President was accompanied by Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Wang Guangya, Chinese Ambassador to the Union of Myanmar Mr. Ye Dabo, Vice-Minister of National Development and Reform Commission Mr. Mu Hong, Deputy-Minister for Commerce Mr. Chen Jian and high-ranking officials.

Firstly, Chinese Vice-President Mr. Xi Jinping said that he cordially welcomed the Myanmar delegation led by Vice-Senior General Maung Aye to China. China and Myanmar are good neighbourly nations and the bilateral relations and cooperation between two peoples are making significant progress.

The visit of Vice-Senior General Maung Aye has reflected how Myanmar government and her people showed interest in relations with China, he added. He said that new successes in bilateral relations would emerge during current visit.

In his speech, Vice-Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Vice-Senior General Maung Aye expressed thanks for warm welcome and hospitality accorded towards Myanmar delegation including himself during the visit to Beijing, a modern and developed city.

As the relationship between the two countries is based on Paukphaw relations, Vice-Senior General Maung Aye said as soon as they got to China they felt as though they were in the home of their close relatives.

Vice-Senior General Maung Aye conveyed the greetings of Head of State Senior General Than Shwe to the Chinese leaders including the Vice-President.

Vice-Senior General Maung Aye said that the aim of his visit to the People's Republic of China is to enhance the existing bilateral friendship as well as to scale up the economic cooperation between the two countries.

Vice-Senior General Maung Aye said that he believed that the present meeting would generate fruitful results as the meeting was to be held based on friendly relations between the two good neighbourly nations, on thriving remarkable cooperation in the history of bilateral relations and on fraternal and Paukphaw relations.

Vice-Senior General Maung Aye explained bilateral diplomatic ties and the existence of two nations in accord with the five principals of peaceful coexistence, further strengthening of ties by exchanging goodwill visits of the leaders of the two countries, current political, economic and social development of Myanmar, donations of emergency and relief aid from China to Myanmar for relief works in the event of the storm Nargis and natural disaster preparedness long-term measures and invited the Vice-President to visit Myanmar at a convenient time.

In his address, the Chinese Vice-President expressed thanks to Vice-Senior General Maung Aye for presenting facts and developments of Myanmar.

He said that he thanked Vice-Senior General Maung Aye for conveying the greetings of Senior General Than Shwe to the leaders of the People's Republic of China. On behalf of President Mr. Hu Jintao of the People's Republic of China, he wished for Senior General Than Shwe and Myanmar leaders. He expressed his thanks for the invitation of Vice-Senior General Maung Aye to visit Myanmar. At an opportune time, he said that he would pay a visit to Myanmar.

He added that the peoples of China and Myanmar have maintained bilateral ties through the peaceful co-existence principle. Myanmar is one of the earliest countries to set up diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China, and it will be the 60th anniversary of establishment of the diplomatic relations between the two countries in the coming year, he added.

He continued to say that China and Myanmar adopted the five principles of peaceful co-existence, and the bilateral relationship between the two countries is making progress. He noted that thanks to concerted efforts of the leaders of the two countries, the bilateral relationship and cooperative measures are achieving development in all aspects. In addition to the political sector, progress can be witnessed in economic, trade, culture, armed forces and other sectors, he said.

He said that the People's Republic of China supports the endeavours of the Myanmar government and people for ensuring peace and stability, economic growth and national unity. He said he believes that only the people and the government of Myanmar can solve the internal affairs of Myanmar, and foreign countries should not interfere in internal affairs of Myanmar and should not impose sanctions against Myanmar.

He pledged that China will continue to support Myanmar in the international sphere, and China will stand by the interests of Myanmar. He added he is pleased with the efforts of the Myanmar government in implementing the State's seven-step Road Map and with the success in democratic process and national unity.

He said China will maintain peace and stability of China-Myanmar border by adopting the non-interference policy in the internal affairs of Myanmar. He added he firmly believes that the Myanmar government and the people can overcome difficulties in the political reformation and in the realization of political and economic objectives and development of the nation. In conclusion, the Chinese vice-president said that whatever it may be, China is always a good friend of Myanmar and will uphold the fair interests of Myanmar.

Next, they cordially and frankly discussed progress of cooperation in politics between the two countries, cooperative measures of the two countries in the international fora, the present world economic and financial crisis, mutual cooperation in human resources development, energy, electrical, transport, trade and industrial sectors and prospects for cooperation in other sectors.

Afterwards, the ceremony to sign the bilateral agreements, Memorandum of Agreement and MoU between the Government of the Union of Myanmar and the Government of the People's Republic of China was held at Hebei Hall of the Great Hall of the People at 6.30 pm.

Minister for National Planning and Economic Development U Soe Tha and Vice-Minister of Commerce Mr. Chen Jian of China signed the Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation between the Government of the Union of Myanmar and the Government of the People's Republic of China and exchanged notes.

Myanmar Ambassador U Thein Lwin and President of China Power Investment Corporation Mr. Lu Qizhou signed the Memorandum of Agreement between Department of Hydropower Implementation and China Power Investment Corporation for the Development, Operation and Transfer of the Hydropower Projects in Maykha, Malikha and Upstream of Ayeyawady-Myitsone River Basins and exchanged notes.

Myanmar Ambassador U Thein Lwin and Vice-President Mr. Liao Yongyuan of China National Petroleum Corporation signed the Memorandum of Understanding Relating to Development, Operation and Management of the Myanmar-China Crude Oil Pipeline Project and exchanged notes.

(Source: The New Light of Myanmar dated 21 June 2009)