Chinese president to visit Myanmar next week

ANKARA

Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to Myanmar next week at the invitation of Myanmar’s president, according to China's Foreign Ministry.

Xi's first state visit of 2020 and also the first state visit to Myanmar by a Chinese president in 19 years will take place on Jan. 17-18, Hua Chunying, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman announced Friday.

Chinese experts believe the visit is of strategic importance for China's "neighborhood diplomacy”, local Global Times reported.

Myanmar and China share deep-rooted diplomatic relations which was established some 70 years ago.

The first “non-communist country” which recognized China after its foundation in 1949 was Myanmar, according to Global Times.

Mynamar was also the first country to settle “boundary issues” with China, it added.