China, Myanmar ink oil pipeline deal

China, Myanmar ink oil pipeline deal

China and Myanmar agreed a deal on a crude oil pipeline between the neighbouring countries as part of a raft of agreements signed when their leaders met Monday in Beijing. Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Myanmar President U. Htin Kyaw at the end of the Burmese statesman’s first visit to China since taking office last spring. The countries signed an agreement on a partially-completed crude oil pipeline between western Myanmar’s Kyaukpyu port and southern China’s Kunming city, which Beijing expects to be “up and running soon”, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin said.

The two leaders also discussed the development of the controversial(विवादास्पद) Myitsone dam, a $3.6 billion Beijing-backed project on hold since protests in 2011, Mr. Liu told reporters after the summit.

Economic dominance

At the time Myitsone — originally designed to supply most of its electricity to China — was seen as emblematic of Beijing’s economic dominance over its southern neighbour.

China has been pressing for its resumption (बहाली)ever since, despite speculation (अटकलें के बावजूद) that the project might be scrapped altogether. “The two sides have a desire to advance this project in a direction that is conducive to bilateral relations and that will deliver win-win outcomes,” Mr. Liu said.

Stabilising the north

The two countries signed nine cooperative agreements on areas spanning(फैले हुए) public health, sports and transportation.

China also expressed its support for Myanmar’s efforts to maintain stability in northern part of the country, where deadly clashes have broken out near the border between Myanmar’s army and ethnic insurgents(जातीय विद्रोहियों).