ISAS Working Papers

n May 2011, Myanmar's 3 new President, U Thein Sein visited China, making it the destination of his first state visit si nce assuming the presidency in March. In doing so, he signalled that Myanmar's new, quasi - civilian government, like the military junta before it, would continue to give priority to China in the hierarchy of its foreign relations. Reiterating what several of his predecessors have said since 1988, Thein Sein declared during the visit that Myanmar's relationship with China is the'closest and most important diplomatic relationship' for Myanmar (Bhatia 2011).