1st LD-Writethru: China Focus: China confident in ties with Myanmar after election

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Wednesday that China is confident that Myanmar will continue its friendly diplomacy towards the country.

Wang's remarks came after Myanmar's general election in which Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) is leading with the result of the poll.

Aung San Suu Kyi made a visit to China in June, during which she met with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Wang told Myanmar Foreign Minister U Wunna Maung Lwin in Jinghong City of southwest China's Yunnan Province that China is gratified that the significant election in Myanmar generally went smoothly.

As a good-will neighbor, China sincerely hopes to see a stable, harmonious, growing and united Myanmar, with various parties working together for the country's development and exploring a development path that suits its national conditions, said Wang.

During this process, China will continue to provide support and help to Myanmar, he said.

A mutually beneficial friendship is in line with the fundamental interests of the two countries and the two peoples, he said, vowing that China will not change its friendly policy towards Myanmar.

China will also not change the various measures to help Myanmar's development, according to the foreign minister.

The country will further economic and trade cooperation with Myanmar, promote more bilateral cooperative projects under the framework of the Belt and Road initiative, he said.

Wang stressed that China will continue to back the efforts to promote national reconciliation in Myanmar, calling on the two countries to jointly safeguard security in border areas.

The Myanmar foreign minister said the country's willingness to enhance cooperation with China will not change no matter how the domestic political situation changes.

He said Myanmar will continue its friendly foreign policy towards China and be committed to consolidating relationship with China.

Myanmar sincerely thanks China for its respect of the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity, its support for Myanmar's political transition and economic development, and its significant assistance following the recent flooding, said U Wunna Maung Lwin.

Myanmar looks forward to furthering cooperation with China under the framework of the Belt and Road, he said.

He stressed that Myanmar is willing to make joint efforts with China in the fight against border crimes and cross-border terrorism so as to maintain peace and tranquility in the border region.

The Myanmar foreign minister is in Jinghong to attend the first Lancang-Mekong River cooperation foreign ministers' meeting, which will be held on Thursday. Wang said China hopes Myanmar will continue playing a constructive role in the cooperation.

Foreign ministers of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam will also attend the meeting. Some of them held bilateral talks with Wang on Wednesday. Endi