THE visit to China in early July by the Prime Minister, General Khin Nyunt, had shown the world that China and Myanmar enjoyed a “very special” relationship, a senior official at the Foreign Affairs Ministry said last week.

“It was positive,” the director general of the ministry’s political department, U Thaung Tun, said of the visit, the first to China by General Khin Nyunt since he was appointed prime minister in August last year.

U Thaung Tun said the week-long visit that began on July 11 had also paved the way for a further strengthening of bilateral ties as well as expanded economic cooperation.

General Khin Nyunt was given a red carpet reception at an official welcoming ceremony hosted by his Chinese counterpart, Mr Wen Jiabao, in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square on July 12.

The visit included talks between General Khin Nyunt and China’s President, Mr Hu Jintao, as well as meetings with Mr Wen.

U Thaung Tun, who was a member of the delegation that accompanied General Khin Nyunt, said the Chinese leadership understands the situation regarding the political transition process in Myanmar.

“They also support the Myanmar government’s moves for a democratic transition and to promote national reconciliation and maintain peace and stability,” U Thaung Tun said.

Mr Hu and Mr Wen had expressed China’s desire to deepen cooperation with Myanmar and had also pledged to provide further economic assistance.

Myanmar and China signed 11 agreements on bilateral cooperation during the visit. They included an agreement for an interest free loan of Yuan 50 million (about US$6 million) to buy railway carriages from China. Beijing also agreed to provide assistance for building an international convention centre in Yangon.

The centre is due to be completed in 2006.

The two sides also agreed to reschedule a loan owed by Myanmar to the state-owned China Export and Credit Insurance Corporation.

Other agreements included a feasibility study for nickel exploration by China’s Non-ferrous Metals Mining and Construction Company Limited in the Tagaung Taung area of Mandalay Division and on upgrading telephone networks by a Chinese company, ZTE.

U Thaung Tun said the visit provided the Myanmar delegation, which included 10 senior government ministers, with opportunities to study development projects.

The delegation visited industrial development zones near Beijing, Shanghai and Zhenjiang and also visited the site of the massive Three Gorges hydropower project in Hubei Province.

The delegation travelled to Hong Kong on a private visit on July 17, before returning to Yangon the next day, a Chinese source in Yangon said.