As Suu Kyi heads home, solving dam deadlock remains key to improving ties between China and Myanmar
Experts say domestic opposition means Myanmarese government is unlikely to bow to pressure from Beijing
The improvement of ties between China and Myanmar still hinges on a deadlocked dam project despite Aung San Suu Kyi’s largely successful visit to China as Myanmar’s de facto leader, according to diplomatic observers.
The suspension of the US$3.6 billion Myitsone project on the Irrawaddy River by Suu Kyi’s predecessor Thein Sein in 2011 plunged the otherwise friendly relations between Myanmar and China, its top trading partner and investor, to an all-time low that coincided with the start of Myanmar’s democratic tilt towards the West five years ago.
[China] may be willing to compromise on this issue in return for progress on its real priorities
Although her Chinese hosts agreed to further economic cooperation and increased investment on infrastructure projects in Myanmar despite lingering disputes over the Myitsone dam, experts say there is a long way to go before any breakthroughs in mending damaged ties.
Along with cementing China’s support for Myanmar’s ethnic reconciliation process, the dam project topped the agenda for Suu Kyi’s five-day visit, which ended on Sunday.
At her request, President Xi Jinping reiterated his support for Myanmar’s challenging peace process and promised to help bring warring ethnic groups, especially those on China’s southwestern border with Myanmar, to key talks scheduled for later this month.
