Asian Political Party Summit, China Invites Aung San Suu Kyi's Political Party

Illustration of Aung San Suu Kyi attending an NLD event. (Wikimedia Commons/Htoo Tay Zar)

JAKARTA - The Chinese Communist Party (CPC) invited Aung San Suu Kyi's political party, Myanmar's ousted State Counselor, the National League for Democracy (NLD) to a summit of Asian political parties Thursday.

In the virtual meeting, the CPC invited four political parties from Myanmar, one of which was the NLD. This invitation marks Beijing's official recognition of the NLD, despite the Myanmar military regime's attempts to disband it.

The NLD won the November 2020 general election by a landslide, but Myanmar's military accused voter fraud and overturned the election results. Party leaders, including State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, have been arrested or are in hiding.

U Bo Bo Oo, a member of the Yangon regional NLD MP and member of the Committee Representing the Yangon Hluttaw Region (CRYH), told The Irrawaddy as quoted Friday, September 10 that he would represent the party.

Meanwhile, the spokesman for the United Solidarity and Development Party for military proxies, Dr. Nandar Hla Myint wrote on Facebook, member of the central youth affairs committee Dr. Thant Zin Lwin will attend the meeting entitled 'Strengthening Political Party Cooperation in Joint Efforts for Economic Development'.

In last year's general election, the NLD won more than 80 percent of all constituencies. The Myanmar Military Regime said it would hold new elections and has since taken steps to dissolve the NLD.

In early August, during an online meeting between regime-appointed foreign minister U Wunna Maung Lwin and China's Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai referred to the State Administration Council (SAC) as Myanmar's government, but also voiced concern over plans to dissolve the NLD.

Meanwhile, Sun Guoxiang, China's special envoy for Asian affairs who was in Myanmar from August 21 to 28 at the regime's invitation, reportedly asked to meet with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. His request was denied and the Myanmar military regime has been tight-lipped about the visit.

According to sources, Chinese officials have told the Myanmar military regime that Beijing wants the NLD to remain as Myanmar's political party.

In late July, the CPC also sent a thank you letter to the NLD's central executive committee in response to congratulating the centenary on the founding of the Communist Party.