China welcomes Myanmar's embattled leader on first visit since coup

It's not a state visit, but Beijing's invitation to Min Aung Hlaing is still significant.

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The significant losses his regime has suffered in the civil war at the hands of poorly-armed insurgents has raised questions over how long he will remain at the helm.

So, the invitation to visit China - an important ally, neighbour and Myanmar's largest trading partner - is significant, although it is not a state visit.

It is a long way from a Chinese endorsement of his disastrous handling of the post-coup chaos in Myanmar, but it does suggest that Beijing sees him as an essential part of a solution to the conflict there.

Leading a large delegation of officials and business figures, Min Aung Hlaing arrived on Tuesday in Kunming, a city in the province of Yunnan, which shares a long border with Myanmar.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yr8exg1gko

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