Republic of the Union of Myanmar
National Unity Government
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Statement (6/2022)
Statement on Myanmar Military Junta Agent Wunna Maung Lwin’s visit to China
4 April 2022
- On March 28th, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that “Myanmar Foreign Minister” Wunna Maung Lwin had accepted an invitation to visit China. On April 1, the State Councilor and Foreign Minister of the People’s Republic of China, Wang Yi held talks with Wunna Maung Lwin in Tunxi, Anhui Province. The National Unity Government (NUG) of Myanmar condemns in the strongest possible terms the use of the title “Minister of Foreign Affairs” by Wunna Maung Lwin, who is an agent of the illegitimate military council formed by the Commander-in-Chief of the Myanmar Armed Forces following a military Coup perpetrated on February 1, 2021. The NUG further observes that any such invitations to Wunna Maung Lwin or other agents of the illegitimate military council to represent Myanmar in any capacity are seen by the Myanmar people as deeply disrespectful and offensive.
- According to a press release issued by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Wang Yi stated in the meeting that: “China always puts Myanmar in an important place in its neighborhood diplomacy…China is ready to work with Myanmar to implement the outcomes of President Xi Jinping’s historic visit to Myanmar, forge the four pillars of political mutual trust, mutually beneficial cooperation, people-to-people bonds and mutual learning in culture and people-to-people exchanges…so as to achieve the goal of building a China-Myanmar community with a shared future”
- The National Unity Government (NUG) recalls that on January 17, 2020, President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China paid a courtesy visit to Myanmar at the invitation of the democratically elected government of the Myanmar people. At this meeting, the two governments agreed to deepen cooperation towards building a China-Myanmar community with a shared future. The National Unity Government (NUG) remains committed to this goal. While so, the NUG must point out that the Myanmar Military continues to perpetrate war crimes and deploy lethal force against its own people in order to establish rule by violence and oppression. Any effort to build a “Community of Shared Future” with an illegitimate and genocidal regime risks serious damage to the international reputation of the People’s Republic of China. Equally important, the people of Myanmar will soundly reject any efforts by foreign governments to establish such a partnership with the illegitimate military regime.
- While the National Unity Government (NUG) welcomes His Excellency Wang Yi’s announcement of China’s intention to advance people to people bonds and exchanges, the NUG sees clearly that there is no way for the Myanmar people to participate in any such cooperation when they are suffering under the military’s ongoing reign of terror being perpetrated across the country. The military’s violent attack against Myanmar’s government and people has resulted in hundreds of thousands of people being displaced, tens of thousands of deaths and injuries, and nearly half the population of our country now faces acute food shortages. The best way for China to advance people to people relations is to immediately compel the military junta to stop all violence, restore civilian governance, and to work with the NUG and Myanmar’s diverse ethnic nationalities groups to deliver humanitarian assistance to end the suffering of the Myanmar people. Such a move would help China and Myanmar secure a strong and robust community of shared future.
- The National Unity Government (NUG) welcomes State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s offer to share experiences on “government and development” with Myanmar “so as to help Myanmar realize domestic political reconciliation and restart the process of democratic transition.” While so, the NUG would like to stress that reconciliation is impossible until the military ceases and is held accountable for its war crimes. Once this is achieved, the NUG welcome’s cooperation with China towards deepening the country’s democratic transition. The NUG is presently working on this process with the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC), and welcomes China to share its experiences with the NUG and the NUCC.
- The NUG cherishes the traditional ties between China and Myanmar and recognizes the profound importance of the “pauk-phaw” friendship. It is saddened to see that this friendship has been damaged by the illegitimate military’s irresponsible actions, which have imposed deep costs on all of Myanmar’s neighbors.
- Adhering to the friendly neighborliness and importance of people-to-people relation, the NUG wishes to stress that it is imperative to respect to desire of the people of Myanmar and listen to the voices of the people of Myanmar. The NUG stands ready to work with the Chinese government towards repairing this damage and building a new type of “pauk-phaw” relations in the future.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
National Unity Government