NAYPYITAW — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Myanmar military leader Min Aung Hlaing in the capital Naypyitaw as part of a regional tour aimed at strengthening Beijing's political, security and strategic ties in Southeast Asia. The two discussed enhancing Myanmar's international relations and cooperation within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, state-run MRTV television reported. Wang and Min Aung Hlaing also exchanged views on border stability, trading, cooperation in eliminating cybercrime and Myanmar's internal peace efforts, according to MRTV.

China is Myanmar's biggest trading partner and a longstanding ally. Beijing has invested billions of dollars in Myanmar's mines, oil and gas pipelines and other infrastructure, and is a major arms supplier to the country along with Russia.

China openly supported Myanmar's recent elections and sent congratulatory messages to Min Aung Hlaing after he became president. Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message within hours of the election. Min Aung Hlaing was sworn in as president on April 10.

In his April 10 inauguration speech, Min Aung Hlaing said restoring normal relations with ASEAN was among his top priorities. ASEAN, which has 11 members including Myanmar, did not recognize the recent elections after most opposition groups were excluded and dissent was tightly restricted. Voting could not take place in some areas due to Myanmar's ongoing civil war.

Myanmar's leaders were barred from attending ASEAN's previous meetings after failing to implement an April 2021 peace plan that called for an immediate end to violence, dialogue among all parties and humanitarian aid. The previous military government led by Min Aung Hlaing allowed limited humanitarian aid on its own restrictive terms and did not comply with other terms of the plan.

China maintains ties with ethnic armed groups operating near its border, including the Three Brotherhood Alliance, which has been fighting for decades for greater autonomy from Myanmar's central government. Between late 2023 and 2024, the alliance captured large swaths of territory near the Chinese border and in western Myanmar. Those advances inspired resistance forces opposed to military rule to expand their operations across the country.

In 2025, a series of China-brokered ceasefires slowed the alliance's advance, allowing Myanmar's military to retake key territories and regain the upper hand since mid-2025. The ceasefires are part of the broader context of China's ongoing role as a mediator in Myanmar's internal conflict.