by Francis Khoo Thwe

From 10 to 14 June, the Burmese opposition leader is on official visit to China at the invitation of the Communist Party. Yesterday the meeting with President Xi Jinping. DVB Director: "Beijing sends an important signal to Naypyidaw: ready to talk not only with the military, but also with the opposition." And the Lady is increasing revealing herself as a “political" leader, as well as the rights icon.

Yangon (AsiaNews) - " China is key player in Burma's politics because of it long time support for Burmese military regime.  It is very significant that they are now inviting Burma's main opposition leader". Interviewed by AsiaNews Aye Chan Naing, director of the dissident website Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB), confirms that the five-day official visit to China of Aung San Suu Kyi has a historical importance, which reveals a policy of pragmatism that is being pursued by both the Nobel Peace Laureate and Beijing. Indeed, although the journey "will not have a big impact on the next general election" in Myanmar scheduled for November, the dissident says it "sends an important message to the Burmese generals: China now also talks with the opposition, not only with you ".

From June 10 to 14, the "Lady" of Burma is in China for a trip that touches Beijing, Shanghai and the southwestern province of Yunnan, even if there are few details on the visit. Yesterday the leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD) met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the palace of the National Congress; a face-to-face with Premier Li Keqiang and other high ranking officials of the Chinese Communist Party is also scheduled.

Until a few years ago such a visit would have been unthinkable. Today, however, Beijing has welcomed the woman who challenged the Burmese military and received the Nobel Peace Prize - an award unpopular in China, because of the tributes to the Dalai Lama and the intellectual dissident (still in prison) Liu Xiaobo - with the honors of a head of state. Besides, within China’s leadership conflicting views have emerged on whether the visit, and the invitation which came not from the Beijing government, but by the Communist Party is opportune. This is also one of the many reasons behind the lack of news that has emerged on her visit which only the official state media are allowed to follow.

Meeting with the Burmese leader, Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed the hope that Myanmar will continue to maintain positive and constructive relations with Beijing, regardless of the domestic political developments. He also hopes that relations will be marked by "trust" and "mutual understanding". In response, Suu Kyi stressed the achievements of China and added that the NLD "appreciates" the friendship with the Communist leaders in Beijing. The issue of human rights were ignored and there was no appeal for release of Liu Xiaobo, as called for by activists and dissidents, including the Chinese Bao Tong, according to whom the Communist Party "would have a lot to learn from the Burmese democracy movement."

However, these statements of protocol mask the past and future dynamics between the two countries. The Beijing government has been an ally of the military junta in Myanmar, which kept, the "Lady" under house arrest for over 15 years. Among the outstanding issues between Beijing and Naypyidaw is the controversial Myitsonedam, a mega-plant designed by a Chinese company whose construction was halted  in 2011 for fear of environmental damage, and the Letpadaung copper mine, closed for the same reason. Relations have also been soured recently by clashes along the Sino-Burmese border between Kokang rebels and government forces, which have involved Chinese citizens across the border.

Commenting to AsiaNews on the visit of Aung San Suu Kyi, the Director of DVB recalls that "China is a key player in the politics of Myanmar, because of the long-running support given to the military regime in the past." To this, he adds, it is "very significant that, today, they are inviting the main Burmese opposition leader." Aye Chan Naing underlines the change of " China’s strategy of towards Burma," since the coming to power in 2011 of (timid) reformist President Thein Sein, a former general of the military junta. "Beijing has realized that it cannot just be a friend of the government and the military – says the Burmese intellectual - but it must also maintain a friendly relationship with the opposition and with civil society itself, in order to protect the business in Myanmar, as well that future investments. " This he explains "is one of the most important reasons why they invited Aung San Suu Kyi to China."

The Nobel Peace Laureate has been criticized for failing to raise the issue of human rights with the Chinese leadership. On this point the director DVB is clear: "Aung San Suu Kyi may be an icon in human rights but we need to realize that she is also a politician.  As a politician, she would draw her strategy based on political gain rather than human rights or moral standard.  The trip to China is one of the examples of her strategy. "

"China - warns Aye Chan Naing - has still very strong influence on Burma.  I don't think Burma can never get away from this.  As our close and big neighbor and with it big global power, who ever become a government in Burma would have to be nice to China"

• MYANMAR
• -
• CHINA
• aung
• san
• suu
• kyi
• dissident
• burma
• visit
• politics