• Burmese
Saturday, July 19, 2025
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTER
The Irrawaddy
27 °c
Yangon
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
No Result
View All Result
The Irrawaddy
No Result
View All Result
Home News Burma

Suu Kyi’s China Visit: What They Say

The Irrawaddy by The Irrawaddy
June 11, 2015
in Uncategorized
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0 0
A A
Suu Kyi’s China Visit: What They Say

China’s President Xi Jinping shakes hands with Aung San Suu Kyi during their meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing

4.3k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Burma’s opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi met Chinese president Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday on the second day of her first official visit to China, undertaken at the invitation of the country’s ruling Communist Party.

At a time of recent tensions between the two countries, and with Burma’s national elections approaching later this year, many observers are weighing the significance of Suu Kyi’s five-day trip to Burma’s powerful neighbor and largest trading partner.

So, who is courting who? And what, if any, sensitive issues will Suu Kyi raise? Officials, journalists, activists and analysts give their take in this list of quotes compiled by The Irrawaddy.

RelatedPosts

Paranoid Junta Turns to Foreign Expertise After 4 Years of Chaos; and More

Paranoid Junta Turns to Foreign Expertise After 4 Years of Chaos; and More

May 10, 2025
1.6k
Myanmar Junta Boss Returns to China’s Embrace After Russia Trip

Myanmar Junta Boss Returns to China’s Embrace After Russia Trip

March 12, 2025
5.4k
India Curries Favor; Junta Boss Showers Titles – Hail ‘King Putin’; and More

India Curries Favor; Junta Boss Showers Titles – Hail ‘King Putin’; and More

March 8, 2025
4.2k

What They Say:

“It is an important trip as Myanmar and China have a long border and as there are many problems along this border area.”

—Nyan Win, National League for Democracy spokesperson (RFA)

“Madame Aung San Suu Kyi led the delegation of the National League for Democracy in the visit to China, which is an exchange activity between the Chinese Communist Party and a party of Myanmar. The Chinese Communist Party has maintained a long-term friendship with various parties in Myanmar. We hope this visit can deepen the understanding and trust between the two parties and push forward the cooperation between China and Myanmar in various fields.”

—Hong Lei, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson

“If Aung San Suu Kyi were not to visit China, it would leave a [blank] spot on her credentials. And if you are China, you want to have at least a superficially good relationship with the potential future kingmaker of Myanmar.”

—Yun Sun, a senior associate at Washington’s Stimson Center think-tank (Financial Times)

“Both internal and external factors make it hard for Myanmar to fall to the embrace of the US at the cost of abandoning China. Suu Kyi will become a good friend of China. She has made some positive remarks about China over the years, and also showed a pragmatic attitude in disputes concerning Chinese projects.”

—Global Times, a state-run Chinese newspaper

“China’s interests are long-term and strategic, and, evidently, Beijing doesn’t want to put all its eggs in one basket. Better to pretend to be friends with everybody, just in case the political situation in Burma will change some time in the future.”

—Bertil Lintner, veteran journalist and the author of several books on Burma (The Irrawaddy)

“Beijing is probably… calculating that Suu Kyi’s refusal to speak out on many human rights issues in her own country means she is unlikely to speak out about China’s denial of democracy and appalling human rights record.”

—David Mathieson, senior researcher on Burma for Human Rights Watch (CNN)

“She certainly doesn’t want to be seen as anti-China, and I don’t see anything that suggests she actually is.”

—Thant Myint-U, historian and author (Financial Times)

“Aung San Suu Kyi is getting on with the business of trying to win an election. She will be utterly pragmatic about what is at stake and cannot afford to indulge undue sentiment. She knows that China will play a mighty role in Myanmar’s future.”

—Nicholas Farrelly, a Burma specialist at the Australian National University (AFP)

“Perhaps Aung San Suu Kyi can bring her influence to bear on ending the conflict [in the Kokang Special Region, bordering China]. In any case, it will be good to have her here to get to know her and explain our policy towards Myanmar.”

—Lin Xixing, a Burma expert at Guangzhou’s Jinan University in China (Reuters)

“I hope she will talk about [human rights] while maintaining good bilateral relations between the two countries. Being a politician herself, it is likely that she will raise the issue politically.”

—Bo Kyi, joint secretary of the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (The Irrawaddy)

“The sequence of visits likely reflects the fact that Beijing sees Shwe Mann as the strongest candidate for Myanmar’s next president, but recognises the rising power and influence of Aung San Suu Kyi and the NLD in legislative politics.”

—Christian Lewis, an associate with Eurasia Group (Financial Times)

“Aung San Suu Kyi is a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and in [a] Chinese prison, there sits another Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.”

—Hu Jia, a prominent Chinese dissident speaking about his close friend, writer and activist Liu Xiaobo, who has languished for years in a Chinese prison. Hu Jia hopes Suu Kyi will call for his release during her visit. (Reuters)

Your Thoughts …
Tags: A_FactivaForeign Relations
The Irrawaddy

The Irrawaddy

...

Similar Picks:

Myanmar Junta Counteroffensives Failing Across Country: Analysts
Analysis

Myanmar Junta Counteroffensives Failing Across Country: Analysts

by Hein Htoo Zan
September 20, 2024
16.8k

Three major operations to retake territory from ethnic armies and their allies are being hampered by troop shortages, experts say.

Read moreDetails
Myanmar Junta Boss Returns to China’s Embrace After Russia Trip
Myanmar-China Watch

Myanmar Junta Boss Returns to China’s Embrace After Russia Trip

by The Irrawaddy
March 12, 2025
5.4k

Min Aung Hlaing hosts Chinese envoy for talks on Beijing’s Shan intervention and support for regime’s planned poll.   

Read moreDetails
Rakhine War: Dozens More Defeated Myanmar Junta Troops Flee to Bangladesh
Myanmar’s Crisis & the World

Rakhine War: Dozens More Defeated Myanmar Junta Troops Flee to Bangladesh

by Muktadir Rashid  
June 13, 2024
5.3k

Latest exodus from battle with Arakan Army comes just days after Dhaka repatriated 134 regime runaways. 

Read moreDetails
India Curries Favor; Junta Boss Showers Titles – Hail ‘King Putin’; and More
Junta Watch

India Curries Favor; Junta Boss Showers Titles – Hail ‘King Putin’; and More

by The Irrawaddy
March 8, 2025
4.2k

Also this week, the regime chief strengthened ties with Russia and Belarus during a goodwill tour of his key allies.

Read moreDetails
Blaming Ex-Dictator for Blackouts; Leading Tatmadaw’s Historic Humiliation; and More
Junta Watch

Blaming Ex-Dictator for Blackouts; Leading Tatmadaw’s Historic Humiliation; and More

by The Irrawaddy
January 18, 2025
3.5k

Also this week, the Air Force chief urged escalation of a campaign that has killed over 1,000 civilians, and the...

Read moreDetails
Allies Rush to Back Sham Poll; Min Aung Hlaing Finally Confesses
Junta Watch

Allies Rush to Back Sham Poll; Min Aung Hlaing Finally Confesses

by The Irrawaddy
December 7, 2024
3.1k

Also this week, a study showed the regime has arrested over 1,800 netizens for criticizing military rule, and the junta...

Read moreDetails
Load More
Next Post
Rangoon Set to Sprawl in New Development Plan

Rangoon Set to Sprawl in New Development Plan

Mixed Response as Charter Reform Bill Goes to Parliament

Mixed Response as Charter Reform Bill Goes to Parliament

No Result
View All Result

Recommended

What the ‘Snake Charmer’ Analogy Gets Wrong About Myanmar

What the ‘Snake Charmer’ Analogy Gets Wrong About Myanmar

4 days ago
1.5k
Chinese Investment Reshapes Myanmar’s N. Shan as MNDAA Consolidates Power

Chinese Investment Reshapes Myanmar’s N. Shan as MNDAA Consolidates Power

1 week ago
3.5k

Most Read

  • Myanmar Junta Airstrikes Protecting Irrawaddy Flotilla Kill 20

    Myanmar Junta Airstrikes Protecting Irrawaddy Flotilla Kill 20

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • More Than 20,000 Displaced As Myanmar Junta Burns Homes Around World Heritage Site

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Myanmar Crisis Spells Opportunity for U.S.-India Cooperation

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Myanmar Junta Using Conscripts as Cannon Fodder, Defectors Say

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Myanmar Junta’s Recapture of Nawnghkio Shows Strategic Missteps by TNLA

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Newsletter

Get The Irrawaddy’s latest news, analyses and opinion pieces on Myanmar in your inbox.

Subscribe here for daily updates.

Contents

  • News
  • Politics
  • War Against the Junta
  • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
  • Conflicts In Numbers
  • Junta Crony
  • Ethnic Issues
  • Asia
  • World
  • Business
  • Economy
  • Election 2020
  • Elections in History
  • Cartoons
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Commentary
  • Guest Column
  • Analysis
  • Letters
  • In Person
  • Interview
  • Profile
  • Dateline
  • Specials
  • Myanmar Diary
  • Women & Gender
  • Places in History
  • On This Day
  • From the Archive
  • Myanmar & COVID-19
  • Intelligence
  • Myanmar-China Watch
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Fashion & Design
  • Videos
  • Photos
  • Photo Essay
  • Donation

About The Irrawaddy

Founded in 1993 by a group of Myanmar journalists living in exile in Thailand, The Irrawaddy is a leading source of reliable news, information, and analysis on Burma/Myanmar and the Southeast Asian region. From its inception, The Irrawaddy has been an independent news media group, unaffiliated with any political party, organization or government. We believe that media must be free and independent and we strive to preserve press freedom.

  • Copyright
  • Code of Ethics
  • Privacy Policy
  • Team
  • About Us
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Burmese

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Business Roundup
  • Books
  • Donation

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.