Myanmar president values ties with China

Leaders of both nations witness signing of nine agreements

BEIJING - President Hu Jintao and visiting Myanmar President Thein Sein on Friday oversaw the signings of a raft of financial pacts, including an agreement for a $763 million line of credit from the China Development Bank, as the leaders enhanced their ties with a "comprehensive strategic cooperation partnership".


Hu called for the quick completion of the China-Myanmar economic cooperation plan and the expansion of cooperation in fields such as energy, electricity, communications and agriculture.

After their meeting, the two presidents officiated at the signing ceremony of nine agreements including aid grants and preferential loans to Myanmar.

They also agreed to maintain stability on the border, which became a concern for Beijing when more than 30,000 refugees fled into Chinese territory during riots in Myanmar in August 2009.

Thein Sein arrived in Beijing on Thursday to start his first state visit since taking office in March, as Myanmar"s military government made way for a civilian one after almost half a century in power.


"Following the development of the situation, the two state heads agreed to upgrade bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic cooperation partnership," said a Foreign Ministry news release.

Last week, a Myanmar government official told AFP: "The president wanted to visit China first because it is important both for diplomatic and economic ties."

China has long been a close neighbor with Myanmar, and also Myanmar"s second-largest trading partner and biggest foreign investor.

Two-way trade totaled $4.4 billion in 2010, a 53-percent surge over the previous year, according to Chinese figures.

Thein Sein brought about a dozen government ministers on the visit, including the minister for internal affairs, as well as military leaders.