President Xi Jinping met with Myanmar's President Min Aung Hlaing in Beijing on Tuesday, seeking to bolster trade and security ties between the two countries.

Xi held a welcome ceremony for the visiting Myanmar president in the Great Hall of the People before the two leaders met for talks, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

During the discussions, Xi said the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor is a flagship project of the Belt and Road cooperation between the two neighbours.

Both sides should steadily advance the construction of key projects with safety ensured to help Myanmar develop its economy and improve people's livelihoods, Xi added.

He said China supports the new Myanmar government in coordinating development and security imperatives to find a correct path of development that suits its national conditions and is supported by its people.

Xi said that China firmly supports Myanmar in safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The president added that both nations must continue to crack down on telecom fraud, online gambling and drug trafficking.

The two leaders also attended a signing ceremony of cooperation documents.

Min Aung Hlaing landed in Beijing on Monday to a red carpet welcome and spent the first hours of his five-day trip touring Beijing Aerospace City — the centre of China's space programme.

He will also meet Premier Li Qiang and top legislator Zhao Leji.

The Myanmar leader's trip is his second state visit since taking over as civilian president in April.

Beijing is a key provider of support to Myanmar and has also brokered a pair of landmark truces with two of the most powerful rebel factions in the country amid its civil war.

The fighting has ravaged the Southeast Asian nation, killing more than 93,000 people and displacing more than 3.7 million.

The delegation accompanying Min Aung Hlaing to Beijing includes the chief ministers of Myanmar's Kachin and Shan states, which both border China, as well as the country's industry minister, according to state media. (Agencies)



Edited by Tony Sabine