VZCZCXRO6335
OO RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHBJ #3393/01 0541101
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 231101Z FEB 06
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8580
INFO RUEHGO/AMEMBASSY RANGOON PRIORITY 4299
RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS COLLECTIVE
RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1209
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 003393 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PHUM UNSC UNGA PGOV CH BM
SUBJECT: PRC/BURMA: READ-OUT OF PM SOE WIN VISIT 
 
REF: RANGOON 0206 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1.  (SBU) China does not support external interference in 
Burma's internal affairs but emphasized to visiting Prime 
Minister Soe Win that China wants to see real progress on 
national reconciliation and economic development, MFA Asian 
Affairs DDG Zhao Jianhua told a gathering of diplomats on 
February 23.  PM Soe Win said Burma is committed to 
developing its national economy, maintaining stability and 
carrying out the seven-step road map to build a modern and 
democratic country.  During his February 14-18 visit to 
China, PM Soe Win had meetings with Chinese leadership in 
Beijing, signed economic agreements that gained Burma 130 
donated passenger train cars and $200 million in credits and 
loans and visited high-tech development parks and special 
economic zones in Xi'an, Guangzhou and Shenzhen.  Zhao said 
China does not support UNSC action against Burma because 
Burma does not present a regional security threat.  China 
pushed Soe Win for continued counternarcotics cooperation and 
agreed to solve the illegal logging dispute through dialogue. 
End summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) On February 23 MFA Asian Affairs Deputy Director 
General Zhao Jianhua briefed the diplomatic corps on Burmese 
Prime Minister Soe Win's February 14 - 18 visit to China. 
During his first official bilateral visit as Prime Minister, 
Soe Win made stops in the cities of Beijing, Xi'an, Guangzhou 
and Shenzhen.  (Note: Soe Win had visited China twice before 
to attend ASEAN and Great Mekong Sub-Region (GMS) events.) 
In Beijing, Soe Win met with President Hu Jintao and National 
People's Congress Chair Wu Bangguo and held talks with 
Premier Wen Jiabao. 
 
PM Soe Win's Message 
-------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Soe Win told the Chinese leaders that Burma is 
committed to developing its national economy, maintaining 
national stability and carrying out the seven-step road map 
in an orderly manner.  The third National Convention, during 
which participants discussed power distribution between the 
central and local governments as well as among the three 
branches of government, is now complete.  The next step is to 
discuss the basic rights and obligations of Burma's citizens, 
general elections and the role of political parties.  Soe Win 
said the Burmese government and its people are devoted to 
building a modern and democratic country. 
 
PRC Message to Burma 
-------------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Zhao said Premier Wen told PM Soe Win that it is 
China's policy that Burma's domestic political and economic 
issues should be decided internally and that the 
international community should create a relaxed atmosphere to 
allow Burma to pursue the democratic process.  As a neighbor, 
however, China is concerned about the situation in Burma and 
hopes Burma can maintain stability, promote economic 
development and make real progress toward national 
reconciliation. (Note: In response to a question, Zhao 
tacitly agreed that China had shifted to using "national" 
instead of "ethnic" reconciliation, saying that the former 
has a "wider" meaning.) 
 
Donations, Credits, Loans and Economic Zones 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) As previewed in reftel, Soe Win signed eight 
agreements, leaving China with a donation of 130 passenger 
train cars, assistance in building the GMS Information 
Superhighway and general buyer credits and loans totaling 
over $200 million.  The two countries also signed contracts 
for China to supply sub-loans and equipment to Burma's 
national telecommunication project, as well as equipment and 
services for a hydroelectric power project.  Without 
elaborating on the details, Zhao said Burma and China also 
signed agreements on general economic and technical 
cooperation and aviation services.  Zhao said Soe Win showed 
great interest in China's development during his visits to 
Xi'an, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, inquiring about how China 
developed its special economic zones and high-tech 
development parks and asking for copies of relevant 
regulations and policies.  Burma is planning to establish a 
 
BEIJING 00003393  002 OF 002 
 
 
special economic zone near Rangoon. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Responding to questions, Zhao said that while China 
does not support countries interfering in the internal 
affairs of Burma and does not support UNSC action because 
Burma does not pose a threat to regional security, China also 
emphasized to Soe Win that China wants to see concrete 
progress and development.  Narcotics trafficking is a 
critical issue for China, which wants close cooperation and 
coordination with Burma to tighten control along the border. 
Illegal logging was briefly discussed with both sides 
agreeing to find a solution through dialogue and cooperation. 
 The movement to the capital to Pyinmana was not discussed, 
nor was the planned visit of the Malaysia FM-lead ASEAN 
delegation to Burma. 
Sedney