Myanmar’s military chief, Min Aung Hlaing, will visit China to attend a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, state media reported on Thursday, ahead of the conflict-ridden country’s first election in nearly five years, which has received backing from Beijing.
Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military ousted the democratically elected government led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi in a 2021 coup, sparking an unprecedented armed uprising and a civil war that has engulfed large parts of the country.
Min Aung Hlaing will travel to the summit, scheduled to begin on Sunday, at the invitation of China’s President Xi Jinping, according to Myawaddy TV.
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In addition to meeting Xi and other leaders at the summit in Tianjin, Min Aung Hlaing is also expected to hold talks with other Chinese officials and visit different parts of the country, the military-run outlet said.
Myanmar will hold the initial phase of its general election on 28 December, with voting to take place in more than 300 constituencies nationwide, including areas currently controlled by armed groups opposed to the military.
