ASSESSMENTS

China and Myanmar: Restoring a Damaged Alliance

Aug 17, 2016 | 09:00 GMT

China and Myanmar: Restoring a Damaged Alliance
Myanmar's de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi (R), shakes hands with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on July 24. China and Myanmar's overlapping interests have given them a chance to restore their damaged friendship.

(HOANG DINH NAM/AFP/Getty Images)

Summary

Nine months after its first free elections in over 50 years, Myanmar continues to make strides in opening its economy and introducing political reform. When the ruling National League for Democracy rose to power, many speculated that it would pursue closer ties between Myanmar and the West, whose democratic ideals the party espouses. But a trip to China by the country's de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, reflects a more pragmatic foreign policy taking shape under the new administration, one that is careful not to discount the looming presence of Myanmar's northern neighbor. 

Nine months after its first free elections in over 50 years, Myanmar continues to make strides in opening its economy and introducing political reform. When the ruling National League for Democracy rose to power, many speculated that it would pursue closer ties between Myanmar and the West, whose democratic ideals the party espouses. But a trip to China by the country's de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, reflects a more pragmatic foreign policy taking shape under the new administration, one that is careful not to discount the looming presence of Myanmar's northern neighbor. ...

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