BEIJING: China yesterday called for international sanctions against key ally Myanmar to be lifted, as US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made a historic visit to the isolated nation.
Myanmar has surprised observers with a series of reformist moves in the past year — including shutting down work on a controversial dam project backed by Beijing — leading to speculation it is trying to diversify its foreign policy.
But China, the primary supporter of the junta and the military-dominated civilian government that succeeded it after controversial elections last year, has given a cautious welcome to Myanmar’s moves to engage with the West.
Yesterday, as Clinton held landmark talks with Myanmar’s rulers, China’s foreign ministry called for sweeping sanctions on the military-backed government to be lifted.
“We believe that Western countries and Myanmar should enhance contact and improve relations on the basis of equality and mutual respect,” ministry spokesman Hong Lei told journalists at a regular briefing.
“We also maintain that relevant nations should lift their sanctions against Myanmar and promote Myanmar’s stability and development.”
The United States has said that Clinton will seek progress on human rights, including on the treatment of ethnic minorities, during her visit, but that talk of lifting sanctions on Myanmar is “premature”. — AFP