Officials from four political parties will visit China at the invitation of the Chinese Communist Party, sources said.
The four political parties that will be visiting are the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), People's Party (PP), Arakan Front Party (AFP) and Shan Nationalities Democratic Party-White Tiger (SNDP).
"China once had a government-to-government relationship. After the change of democracy, I have noticed that it changed its policy to relations between the people and the multi-layered relationship. As for us, since the founding of the party in 2017-2018, the Chinese Communist Party has been working on inter-party relations with us until now. During the current political crisis, it is an invitation for inter-party relations. The details can only be told after I return," People's Party Chairman U Ko Ko Gyi said.
This trip is from July 20 to 27, and he is to meet with the International Relations Department of the Chinese Communist Party, and the invited parties are the four leading parties selected by the political parties’ group meeting, he said.
"I have thought that if I get the opportunity to discuss the stability of our country and the restoration of democracy depending on party-to-party relations, I will discuss it. We will explain to the Chinese government about insecure and the shocking situations faced by the people especially because of the armed conflict. In our country's democratic change, especially after 2010, the multi-layered relationship with the parties, civil society organizations, religious organizations and media from China is increasing. That's why our relationship with neighboring countries is very important for the change of the country,'' U Ko Ko Gyi said.
In the past, China used to invite political parties to visit China frequently, but after the political changes in 2021, political parties were not invited to visit China. Now they re-engaged with the political parties in Myanmar.
U Ko Ko Gyi said, “Diplomatic relations are the front line of a country. Therefore, if diplomacy can be carried out effectively, some issues may have already been resolved. As a country, there is government relations and non-governmental organization relations and as for us, we are in touch with the government and UEC through the NSPNC. There is also contact with the party members and people. This is a bridge between non-governmental organizations and the government. Therefore, the issue to strengthen political parties and increasing diplomatic relations is also very important for resolving the country's conflict. These problems will be solved if the people can solve them politically. Therefore, I would like to encourage everyone to come together and support us in order to strengthen the political party.”
From June 27 to 30, former president U Thein Sein paid a four-day visit to China and Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win visited China on July 6.
