President of Myanmar Min Aung Hlaing arrived in Beijing on Monday for a state visit to China from June 15 to 19, the Xinhua News Agency reported. As the first China trip since he was sworn in as Myanmar's president in April, Chinese experts believe that it highlights the importance Myanmar attaches to relations with China.

They noted that the two countries have significant potential for cooperation under the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC), particularly in infrastructure, energy and connectivity, and expressed hope that the visit will inject fresh momentum into bilateral ties and pragmatic cooperation.

The visit follows a series of recent high-level diplomatic exchanges between the two neighbors. On June 5, 2026, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Foreign Minister of Myanmar Tin Maung Swe in Beijing.  

According to a statement published by the Chinese Foreign Ministry on June 5, Wang noted that China is ready to work with Myanmar on high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, strengthen cooperation in post-earthquake reconstruction, people's livelihood and cultural exchanges, trade and investment, steadily advance key projects under the CMEC, jointly combat transnational crimes such as online gambling and telecom fraud, and maintain peace and tranquility in the China-Myanmar border areas.

Tin Maung Swe said that Myanmar and China are "pauk-phaw" friends and neighbors sharing a common destiny and partners enjoying mutual trust. He appreciated China for its long-term valuable assistance to Myanmar's economic and social development. "Myanmar will continue to resolutely combat online gambling and telecom fraud and make every effort to safeguard the safety of Chinese personnel, institutions and projects in Myanmar," Tin Maung Swe said, adding that the new Myanmar government is committed to advancing the domestic peace process and achieving stable development, and hopes that China will continue to play a constructive role.

The two countries have already achieved tangible results through cooperation in political, economic and security fields.

According to China's General Administration of Customs, China has remained Myanmar's largest trading partner, largest source of imports and most important source of investment for many consecutive years. Bilateral trade reached $19.4 billion in 2025, up 19.1 percent year-on-year.

Myanmar also occupies a unique position in China's regional connectivity strategy. As China's only neighboring country with direct overland access to the Indian Ocean, Myanmar serves as a key strategic gateway linking the Belt and Road Initiative to both South Asia and Southeast Asia.

"President Min Aung Hlaing's visit provides an opportunity for China and Myanmar to advance practical cooperation in multiple areas. Whether in promoting energy and mineral resource projects or implementing the four major global initiatives proposed by China, there remains substantial room for cooperation," Xu Liping, director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Monday.

Xu added that the two sides should also work together to maintain long-term stability along the border and support Myanmar's efforts to preserve domestic peace and stability.

"We hope Myanmar can balance development and security, place peace and stability at the forefront of its national agenda and create favorable conditions for deeper people-to-people exchanges between the two countries," Xu said.

A Myanmar affairs expert, who requested anonymity, told the Global Times on Monday that the two countries could further advance projects such as the China-Myanmar railway and the Kyaukphyu deep-sea port.

Beyond economic cooperation, China and Myanmar have also expanded collaboration in law enforcement and security.

According to Xinhua, China's Ministry of Public Security dispatched a working group to Myanmar's Myawaddy region at the end of 2025, where it worked alongside law enforcement agencies from Myanmar and Thailand to launch a new joint operation targeting online gambling and telecom fraud compounds. As a result, 952 Chinese telecom fraud suspects were repatriated to China.

For years, criminal groups operating in Myawaddy have carried out large-scale telecom fraud and other crimes targeting Chinese citizens, causing serious harm, according to Xinhua.

Speaking at Friday's regular press briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said China looks forward to taking the visit as an opportunity to deepen bilateral cooperation.

"China and Myanmar are traditional friends, neighbors and a community with a shared future. Bilateral relations have come a long way since diplomatic ties were established 76 years ago. Our two countries have upheld the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence advocated by both, stood with each other through thick and thin, demonstrated solidarity and maintained coordination," Lin said.

"We look forward to working with Myanmar to take the upcoming visit as an opportunity to renew our "pauk-phaw" friendship, deepen comprehensive strategic cooperation and deliver more practical results in building the China-Myanmar community with a shared future to the greater benefit of both peoples," he added.