Xu Ganlu, vice minister of Public Security and administrator of the National Immigration Administration (NIA), held a working meeting in Beijing on July 24, with U Thein Swe, the visiting Myanmar Minister of Labor, Immigration and Population, and conducted in-depth and friendly exchange on the promotion of China-Myanmar law enforcement and cooperation on immigration affairs.

On behalf of the Ministry of Public Security and NIA, Xu Ganlu warmly welcomed U Thein Swe and his delegation to visit China. He said that China and Myanmar, linked by mountains and rivers, are "paukphaw" (fraternal) brothers and true friends. The two countries have maintained close high-level exchanges. President Xi Jinping and leaders of Myanmar have met on many occasions, providing political guidance for the development of bilateral relations and pointing out the direction for bilateral cooperation in law enforcement and immigration affairs.

China-Myanmar cooperation in law enforcement and immigration affairs enjoys a long-standing tradition of friendship, and a series of important results have been achieved in recent years. China stands ready to work with Myanmar to earnestly implement high-level consensus and enrich bilateral cooperation. To this end, Xu Ganlu put forward a four-point proposal during the meeting.

High-level exchanges between bilateral law enforcement departments shall be intensified. Chinese Ministry of Public Security and NIA will maintain regular exchange visits with the Myanmar Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population to exchange views on issues of common interest in a timely manner and consolidate existing cooperation mechanisms.

It is important to promote legitimate people-to-people contacts between the two sides. Myanmar citizens rank first in the number of foreigners entering and leaving China, and China has maintained a positive attitude towards people exchanges between China and Myanmar. The two sides are expected to strengthen consultations to effectively resolve the issues affecting mutual normal exchanges of people in terms of the production, issuance, use and management of customs clearance documents.

It is vital to maintain border security and stability. The two countries shall strengthen administration on exit and entry and management of credentials, and establish a responsive mechanism of verification and repatriation. Myanmar nationals involved in illegal entry, residence or employment in China shall be identified and repatriated in a timely manner. Furthermore, illegal and criminal activities, such as drug trafficking, smuggling, cross-border gambling and telecommunications fraud shall be effectively prevented and cracked down to jointly foster a secure and stable border environment.

Efforts shall also be made to strengthen the capacity building for law enforcement. The two sides are expected to further exchange and share working experience with each other, and jointly promote law enforcement security and immigration administration services. China will continue to hold immigration administration seminars and training courses, and hopes that Myanmar will actively participate.

U Thein Swe extended his gratitude for the invitation from the Chinese side and agreed with vice minister Xu's proposal. He said that the "paukphaw" friendship between Myanmar and China has a long history and has grown ever stronger. Over the years, China has provided disinterested assistance to Myanmar's economic and social development and firmly supported Myanmar on international and multilateral stages, for which Myanmar and the people are deeply grateful.

Myanmar will continue firmly adhering to the one-China policy, the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, and actively participating in the Belt and Road Initiative. The Ministry of Labor, Immigration and Population of Myanmar will prioritize cooperation with China and stands ready to work with China to deepen cooperation in immigration affairs, improve administration and service levels, and work together to properly tackle illegal border crossings, smuggling, human trafficking and other cross-border crimes issues. The joint efforts in maintaining security and stability in border areas and facilitating people-to-people and trade exchanges will practically benefit the people from both sides.

Vice administrator of NIA Qu Yunhai and the charge d'affaires ad interim of Myanmar Embassy in China U Han Win Aung attended the meeting. Attendees also included persons in charge from the Department of International Cooperation on Immigration Affairs, Department of Foreigners Management, Department of Citizen Exit and Entry Management, and Department of Frontier Inspection and Management of NIA, as well as Yunnan Entry-Exit Frontier Inspection General Station and the Exit and Entry Administration Bureau of Yunnan Provincial Public Security Department.

Notice: This English version is only for reference. To learn more, please refer to the authoritative Chinese version.