China and Myanmar Agree to Strengthen Practical Cooperation Across Multiple Sectors

Myanmar’s President, Min Aung Hlaing, concluded his first state visit to China from 15 to 19 June 2026, marking a new chapter in bilateral relations between the neighbouring countries and opening up broader opportunities for practical cooperation in various fields. During his stay in China, Min Aung Hlaing visited China Railway Construction Corporation Limited in Beijing and travelled from Beijing to Shanghai on the Fuxing high-speed train. The visit allowed him to witness first-hand China’s development achievements and he expressed Myanmar’s desire to expand infrastructure cooperation with the country. The two nations also signed a number of cooperation agreements, further strengthening the longstanding ‘pauk-phaw’ friendship between China and Myanmar. In a meeting with Min Aung Hlaing on Tuesday (17 June), Chinese President Xi Jinping stated that China is ready to share its development experience with Myanmar and work together to build a China-Myanmar community with a shared future, underpinned by political friendship, mutual trust, mutually beneficial development, security coordination, and people-to-people exchanges. China has been Myanmar’s largest trading partner, largest source of imports, and one of its most important investors for many years. Bilateral trade value reached US$19.4 billion in 2025, a 19.1 percent increase from the previous year. The trade relationship is supported by complementary economic structures, with China exporting electromechanical equipment and vehicles to Myanmar, while Myanmar supplies high-quality agricultural products and mineral resources to China, creating a stable and mutually beneficial industrial and trade chain. As a key project under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) cooperation mechanism, the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor is now entering an accelerated phase of construction. Flagship projects such as New Yangon City, the Kyaukphyu Special Economic Zone, and the China-Myanmar Railway continue to develop and serve as important foundations for the economic corridor. These connectivity projects are driving industrial modernisation in Myanmar, improving public welfare, and strengthening cross-border economic integration. During the meeting, Xi reaffirmed that the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor is a flagship BRI cooperation project. He stated that both countries should continue to advance the construction of strategic projects while prioritising safety, and support Myanmar’s economic growth and the improvement of its people’s livelihoods. Xi also expressed China’s readiness to implement more small-scale aid programmes that have a direct impact on communities and to strengthen the narrative of mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries. On Tuesday, China and Myanmar also issued a joint statement reaffirming their commitment to accelerating the building of a community with a shared future to deliver greater benefits to the people of both nations. Reflecting the closeness of bilateral ties, the two sides signed a number of cooperation documents covering sectors including transport, science and technology, intellectual property rights, human resource development, public health, and media. Law enforcement cooperation was also a key focus of the visit. China and Myanmar expressed support for the establishment of an international alliance to combat telecom-based fraud. In recent months, the two countries have enhanced law enforcement coordination to crack down on telecom fraud networks in northern Myanmar, a move deemed successful in maintaining stability in the border region and protecting the lives and property of the people of both countries. Xi stressed that China and Myanmar need to strengthen efforts to combat various cross-border crimes, including online gambling, telecom fraud, and drug trafficking, to safeguard the security and interests of their citizens. Meanwhile, Min Aung Hlaing stated that Myanmar is ready to cooperate more closely with China to combat online gambling and telecom fraud, and to maintain security and stability in the border areas. Qu Jianwen, head of the Yunnan Province Association for Southeast Asian Studies, assessed that the Myanmar president’s visit to China reflects the continuously developing bilateral cooperation and its increasingly bright prospects.