Myanmar junta leader to visit next week

The head of Myanmar’s military junta, General Than Shwe, will visit key ally China next week for talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao and other leaders, Beijing announced yesterday.
While Myanmar is the subject of tough Western sanctions, China is the junta’s main trading partner and an eager investor in the isolated state’s sizeable natural resources.
“During the visit both sides will take the opportunity to review the history of bilateral affairs and brief each other on domestic developments,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu told reporters.
Besides meeting Hu and Premier Wen Jiabao in Beijing, Than Shwe will travel to Shanghai to see the World Expo and will visit southern China’s booming export hub Shenzhen during the September 7-11 visit, Jiang said.
News reports last week said the 77-year-old chief of the ruling junta, who has run the country since 1992, had stepped down from his military post ahead of the country’s first election in 20 years.
This was later denied by Myanmar officials. But they said more than 70 positions had changed in the biggest military reshuffle in decades.
China has long helped to keep Myanmar afloat through trade ties, arms sales, and by shielding it from UN sanctions over rights abuses as a veto-wielding member of the Security Council.
Two Chinese warships made a rare visit to Myanmar this week to promote military ties, Chinese state media reported.