25 April 2026 By Foe Aww Yaw
NAYPYIDAW, Myanmar — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has arrived in Myanmar’s capital for high-level talks with Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, a move that critics say provides much-needed international legitimacy to a regime following a widely boycotted and “sham” election.
During the meeting on Saturday, Min Aung Hlaing expressed his profound gratitude to Beijing, noting that President Xi Jinping was the first world leader to send a congratulatory message just hours after he assumed the presidency under the military-led government.
Wang Yi reaffirmed China’s unwavering support for the regime, pledging to accelerate projects under the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC). He also promised continued backing for the junta on the international stage, alongside practical aid for border trade facilitation and reconstruction efforts following the recent Mandalay earthquake.
However, the visit has been met with a chorus of condemnation from political analysts and pro-democracy activists. “By recognizing the results of an election rejected by the vast majority of the Myanmar people, China is choosing to prolong the military’s hold on power rather than helping to solve the political crisis,” one analyst told MPA.
Activists have described Beijing’s stance as a “blatant insult” to the will of the people. “It is shameful that China continues to shield a government that lacks any domestic mandate under the guise of being a ‘good neighbour,'” an activist said.
The visit also highlights the deepening economic ties between the two nations as the junta faces increasing isolation from the West. In border towns like Hsenwi, residents have already reported a surge in Chinese businessmen pressuring locals to sell ancestral farmlands for secretive development projects.
“Wang Yi is here to secure economic guarantees,” a border trade observer noted. “The junta is so desperate for legitimacy that it is willing to hand over the country’s land and natural resources to Beijing on a silver platter.”
While the discussions touched upon combating online fraud (the “Kyat Phant” syndicates), the overarching theme was clear: a formal endorsement of the junta’s new political framework.
Experts in international relations warn that this strategy may backfire. “China is trying to grant legitimacy to a regime that the public has vowed to eradicate,” one expert said. “Until there is popular consent, any economic agreement signed in Naypyidaw will remain fundamentally unstable.”
As Wang Yi’s delegation concludes its visit, the divide between Beijing’s strategic interests and the aspirations of the Myanmar people has never been wider. For the resistance movement, the visit is a stark reminder that the battle for democracy is being fought not just against a local dictator, but against the geopolitical interests of a powerful neighbour.
