Myanmar top leader Senior-General Than Shwe met with Li Tieying, visiting vice chairman of the Chinese National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, in the new capital of Nay Pyi Taw on Tuesday.

 

The two sides expressed wishes to further develop the neighborly, friendly and cooperative ties between the two countries.

 

Than Shwe, Chairman of the Myanmar State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), said China and Myanmar are friendly neighbors since ancient time and the "paukphaw" (fraternal) friendship has already been established between the two countries.

 

He said Myanmar wishes to enhance the friendly cooperation in the sectors of politics, trade and economy, and learn and refer from the successful experience gained by the Chinese National People's Congress in all the aspects of legislature.

 

He expressed heartfelt thanks to the Chinese government and people for the precious support and assistance extended to the Myanmar government and people, particularly China's vetoing of a draft resolution regarding Myanmar issue, submitted by the US to the UN Security Council.

 

He reiterated Myanmar's support for China's principle of "One country, Two systems," saying that Myanmar will as always uphold the one-China policy, opposing "Taiwan independence."

 

At the meeting, Li also spoke highly of the Sino-Myanmar friendly ties, saying that China and Myanmar are friendly neighbors with the two peoples being bound together by ties of fraternal friendship.

 

China and Myanmar are not only the initiators of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence but also the pattern of observing the five principles and developing ties between nations, he noted.

 

He added that since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, the Sino-Myanmar fraternal friendship, jointly nurtured by leaders of older generations of the two countries, have deepened continuously with the two sides having mutual trust politically, mutual cooperation economically, mutual sympathy and support over important issue that is related to the benefit of the other side.

 

He expressed that the Chinese government and people value much the Sino-Myanmar traditional friendship, saying that China will as always still carry on the friendly policy towards Myanmar.

 

Li also expressed that as a friendly neighbor, China sincerely hopes that Myanmar will be politically stable, nationally reconciled and economically developed.

 

China consistently considers that matters happening domestically in Myanmar belong to Myanmar's internal affairs which should be settled by the Myanmar government and its people themselves through consultations, he maintained, adding that the international community should, on the basis of respecting Myanmar's sovereignty and dignity, render Myanmar constructive help and should not interfere in.

 

On Monday, Li also held discussions with Lieutenant-General Thein Sein, Myanmar SPDC First Secretary and Chairman of the National Convention Convening Commission, to exchange their views on some issues of mutual concern including the bilateral ties.

 

The two sides agreed to maintain close exchange and cooperation and make positive contribution to the deepened development of the two countries' neighborly and friendly ties in order to consolidate the friendly relations between the peoples of the two countries.

 

Li arrived in Yangon and then Nay Pyi Taw on Monday for a four-day official goodwill visit to Myanmar as the final leg of his three-Asian-nation tour which had taken him to Nepal and Cambodia.

 

(Xinhua News Agency January 24, 2007)