CHINESE Foreign Minister Qin Gang called for stability and a crackdown on cross-border criminal activity along the China-Myanmar border.
Qin met with United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Myanmar Noeleen Heyzer in Beijing with other officials in attendance.
During the meeting, the State Councilor and Foreign Minister said that China, more than any other country, hopes Myanmar can achieve stable development but acknowledged that the issue of its neighboring country is complex and without any quick solution to the problems.
He said that the international community should respect mediation efforts by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Situated along densely forested mountains, the 2,129-kilometer border has long been notorious for drug smuggling, with illegal drugs coming from the infamous Golden Triangle to China.
Meanwhile, violence has rocked Myanmar since a military coup overthrew the democratically elected government in 2020, while occasional fighting between the ruling military and ethnic armed groups along the border is forcing refugees to flee to China and Thailand.
The Chinese official is expected to visit Myanmar on Tuesday and attend the SCO foreign ministers meeting in India from May 2 to 5.
