Meet Myanmar Military Regime Leader, Chinese Ambassador Supports ASEAN Involvement

ASEAN Leaders' Meeting which discussed the issue of Myanmar in Indonesia. (Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia)

JAKARTA - The Chinese government expressed its support for the involvement of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), in restoring peace and stability in Myanmar.

This was said by the Chinese Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai when meeting with the Leader of the Myanmar Military Regime Senior General Min Aung Hlaing in Naypyitaw, Saturday last week.

In his upload on Facebook social media, the Chinese Embassy wrote, Ambassador Chen stressed that China as a neighbor of Myanmar will continue to play a constructive role.

"China sincerely hopes for the early restoration of peace and stability in Myanmar and supports the implementation of the consensus by ASEAN and Myanmar," the Chinese Embassy wrote.

Earlier on Friday, ASEAN Secretary-General Lim Jock Hoi of Brunei and Brunei's Minister of Foreign Affairs Erywan Yusof, met with senior generals in Naypyitaw to discuss a special summit held at the end of April in Jakarta.

However, Myanmar's parallel National Union of Civilian Government (NUG) says it has lost faith in the regional bloc, as it failed to engage with both sides, abandoned the NUG approach, and engaged only with the junta.

Following the ASEAN summit on April 24, which was attended by General Min Aung Hlaing, China proposed a meeting this month in China with working-level talks on the crisis.

Chen is reported to have held several secrets and informal meetings with military regime leaders, ahead of Saturday's talks in Naypyitaw.

The military regime newspaper said on Sunday the meeting focused on bilateral cooperation and stability along the border that stretches more than 2,000 kilometers, as well as the presence of many powerful ethnic minority armed groups along the border.

Meanwhile, the Chinese government-affiliated newspaper Global Times said Myanmar authorities were willing to maintain communication with China.

"Myanmar is willing to work with ASEAN to maintain domestic stability and coordinate the implementation of the relevant consensus, Myanmar's leader Min Aung Hlaing said," the newspaper wrote on Facebook.

Myanmar Coup. The VOI editorial team continues to monitor the political situation in that one of the ASEAN member countries. Casualties from civilians continue to fall. Readers can follow the news covering the Myanmar military coup by clicking this link.