CNI News

June 3, 2026

The Myanmar government appears to be attempting to approach other major global powers in addition to China, China-Myanmar affairs analyst Dr. Hla Kyaw Zaw told CNI News.

Myanmar President U Min Aung Hlaing, during his official visit to India, met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 1, 2026, to discuss bilateral cooperation for mutual benefit. Military and political analysts pointed out that the discussions during President U Min Aung Hlaing's visit to India likely focused primarily on Myanmar's rare earth elements and security matters.

Dr. Hla Kyaw Zaw suggested that the Myanmar government might be trying to demonstrate that it maintains good relations with other major powers besides China, and this could be seen as an attempt to build ties with other large nations to exert counter-pressure on China.

"It looks like this. [U] Min Aung Hlaing wants to show that he is not solely dependent on China and that he maintains good relations with other major nations. That's about it. This is exactly his purpose for visiting India. He can indirectly send a signal to the United States. He wants to have relations with the U.S. as well, which is why he is reaching out via India. India is part of the alliance known as the Quad. That alliance consists of four countries: India, the U.S., Japan, and Australia. It seems [U] Min Aung Hlaing is eyeing that. He wants to show he isn't just relying on China and that he has other options to depend on. This is likely how he calculates it," Dr. Hla Kyaw Zaw said.

yanmar President U Min Aung Hlaing meeting with Indian President Smt. Droupadi Murmu.

"Following Wang Yi’s recent visit, China stated that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is their old friend, so they are constantly inquiring about her living conditions and well-being. This implies China is subtly pressing for her release. It seems [U] Min Aung Hlaing cannot accept this. That is why he is looking to forge alliances with other major powers. However, he cannot distance himself from China completely. China won't allow that either. China holds many cards; Myanmar’s entire economy depends on China, so how could he distance himself? Consider that. But he does want to put a little pressure on China, as if to say, 'You aren't the only one I have, I have others too.' It appears there is such pressure being applied," she added.

Military and political analysts have pointed out that following the events of February 1, 2021, China has become deeply involved in the shifting political and military landscape of Myanmar, exerting influence over both the Myanmar government and armed groups. 

They noted that as long as political and military instability persists within Myanmar, China-Myanmar economic cooperation cannot function properly, and China views Myanmar more through the lens of strategic opportunity rather than mere economic opportunity.

On the other hand, political analyst Dr. Aung Myo told CNI News that since Myanmar has unavoidable economic interconnections internationally, it is only normal to engage with the international community. He argued that visiting India for mutual benefits cannot simply be labeled as "approaching major powers."

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Myanmar President U Min Aung Hlaing.

"That’s not quite how it is. As an independent nation, Myanmar will engage independently. There are unavoidable factors when it comes to the United States, for instance. Take aviation and air transport—if the U.S. and Western Europe do not agree, what can we do? Even China has to buy American airplanes. There is economic interconnectedness, and engaging because of that cannot be viewed as trying to avoid or distance oneself from China. Ultimately, Myanmar must act in its own national interest. Even if China could provide everything Myanmar needs, Myanmar still shares international borders, so it must engage internationally. When comparing China and the U.S., China is far more important to Myanmar. Similarly, India has a massive population and shares a long border with Myanmar. We absolutely must maintain relations with them. Just because he visited India now, we cannot say he has fully sided with India," Dr. Aung Myo said.

Due to the intense fighting between the Myanmar military and armed forces across the country, China-Myanmar border trade has come to a standstill, and China's projects and investments within Myanmar have also been halted.

Consequently, during a meeting in Russia in May 2025, Chinese President Xi Jinping told President U Min Aung Hlaing that Myanmar must ensure the safety and security of Chinese companies, personnel, projects, and investments within the country.