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China backs ASEAN on Myanmar

SINGAPORE: China on Sunday threw its weight behind the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) by taking the line that the Myanmar crisis be addressed through the good offices of the United Nations.

This became clear after Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao held talks with Singapore Prime Minister and ASEAN Chairman Lee Hsien Loong here, on the eve of the 10-nation grouping’s annual summit. The two leaders, whose prime focus was on bilateral cooperation, discussed the Myanmar issue, which would come up during a series of regional summits to be hosted by the ASEAN here in the next few days.

Military-ruled Myanmar is a member of the 10-nation ASEAN, which is finalising a charter with an accent on democracy as a preferred system of governance.

Mr. Wen later said: “We believe that we should continue to promote [the] good offices [role] done by the United Nations, and rely on the efforts of the people of Myanmar, so that the process toward national reconciliation can be restored and the country can realise peace, stability, and development.”

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