BANGKOK, Nov 5, (AP): The head of Myanmar's military government embarked Tuesday on an official visit to China, the embattled Southeast Asian nation’s most important international ally, for several regional meetings. It is the first time Senior Gen Min Aung Hlaing has traveled to the neighboring country since his army seized power in February 2021 from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi.

Myanmar’s army suffered unprecedented battlefield defeats over the past year, especially in areas near the Chinese border. Both Myanmar’s ruling generals and China’s government have shown concern as pro-democracy guerrillas and armed ethnic minority groups, sometimes working hand in hand, have taken the initiative in their fight against military rule.

But Beijing is now concerned about instability that threatens its strategic and business interests in Myanmar. China’s government has maintained good working relations with Myanmar’s ruling military, which is shunned and sanctioned by many Western nations for the army takeover and for major human rights violations. State-run MRTV television said that Min Aung Hlaing departed on a flight from the capital, Naypyitaw, Tuesday morning to begin his visit.

He will visit the Chinese city of Kunming on Wednesday and Thursday to attend three summits: The Greater Mekong Subregion, the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy and the Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar-Vietnam Cooperation. Kunming, the capital of China’s Yunnan province, is about 400 kilometers (250 miles) from the border with Myanmar.

The report said he will also have "meetings with Chinese government officials to discuss ways to enhance goodwill, economic and various sectors between the two governments and the people.” China, along with Russia, is a major arms supplier to Myanmar’s military in its war against resistance forces. Beijing is also Myanmar’s biggest trading partner and has invested billions of dollars in its mines, oil and gas pipelines, and other infrastructure.