国内英语新闻:Chinese premier ends Myanmar visit after meeting counterpart, signing deals

YANGON, June 3 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao left Yangon for Beijing on Thursday after concluding a two-day visit to Myanmar, the last leg of his four-nation Asian tour.

MEETING MYANMAR COUNTERPART

During talks with his Myanmar counterpart U Thein Sein in the capital city of Naypyitaw, Wen and Thein Sein agreed to further promote relations and cooperation between the two countries.

Noting that this year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of China-Myanmar diplomatic ties, Wen told his host that he came to Myanmar with Chinese people's profound feelings of friendship for the Myanmar people and their strong aspiration for closer bilateral ties.

Visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (Center L) attends a signing ceremony for 15 documents on cooperation in natural gas, hydropower and other fields, with his Myanmar counterpart U Thein Sein (Center R) in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, on June 3, 2010.

During the past 60 years, China and Myanmar have both upheld and followed the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, achieving far-reaching progress in bilateral ties and also creating an exemplar of cooperation between nations with different social institutions, said Wen, the first Chinese premier to visit Myanmar in 16 years.

Wen added that China respects the path of development the Myanmar government and people have selected in line with their country's conditions, and appreciates the valuable support Myanmar has long offered on issues concerning China's core interests.

Wen stressed that China is ready to join hands with Myanmar to deepen their friendship and expand cooperation, thus remain good neighbors, good friends and good partners for ever.

With their land bordering each other and their economies mutually complementary, China and Myanmar have enjoyed a grand prospect of mutually beneficial cooperation, said Wen, while recalling that thanks to their joint efforts, the two countries not only effectively withstood the impact of the global financial crisis but also brought their bilateral trade volume to a new high.

In the next phase, Wen said, both sides should make proper planning of key areas and projects for cooperation, speed up the interconnection of the two countries' infrastructure, and complete the agreed major cooperation projects in energy, transportation and other areas in a timely manner and with good quality.

The Chinese premier emphasized that China is willing to continue providing assistance to the best of China's ability for Myanmar's economic and social development.

For his part, Thein Sein said that Myanmar and China share common borders and the two peoples have long been friendly to each other.

Since diplomatic relations were established 60 years ago, the two countries have respected each other, treated each other on an equal footing and in friendly terms on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, he said.

He also noted that recent years have witnessed frequent exchanges of high-level visits and significant achievements in trade and other areas of bilateral cooperation.

Myanmar appreciates the understanding and support from China and adheres to the one-China policy, the prime minister said.

Thein Sein said that Myanmar highly appreciates China's development, places high values on its cooperation with China from a strategic perspective and promptly implements the key cooperation projects the two sides have agreed on.

He added that Myanmar will avail itself of the opportunity of the 60th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties to join hands with China to promote their bilateral relations of good-neighborly cooperation to a new high.

The two leaders also agreed to make concerted efforts to maintain peace and stability along the common borders between the two countries and turn the borders into a bridge for friendly cooperation between the two countries.

Following their talks, the two leaders attended a signing ceremony for 15 documents on cooperation in natural gas, hydropower and other fields.