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Roundup: Myanmar Actively Launches Military Diplomacy
In recent years, especially since entering into the new century, Myanmar's military diplomacy has been active with gradual increase of military exchange with foreign countries, constituting an important part of the country's exchange with foreign nations.
Myanmar's military diplomacy has played an important role in breaking the sanctions imposed on it by western countries, expanding its diplomacy space and strengthening the friendship between armed forces of Myanmar and foreign countries.
During this year, high-ranking military commanders from Indian, China, Thailand, Russia, Cambodia and Indonesia have visited Myanmar.
These frequent visits have indicated Myanmar is actively launching its military diplomacy in the service of its politics, foreign diplomacy and military affairs.
A fact that deserves special mention is that a fleet of Pakistani naval vessels comprising a submarine, a destroyer and a tanker made a nearly-week-long friendly visit at Myanmar's Yangon Port on April 25 this year. It was the first time for Myanmar to permit foreign naval fleet to visit its port in several decades.
Besides, during the August visit to Myanmar of the Russian Vice-Defense Minister, the two sides signed a contract on sale of ten Russian MIG-29 fighter aircraft to Myanmar worth of as high as 130 million U.S. dollars.
It was the first time for Russia to sell such fighters to Yangon. Equipped with these advanced fighters, Myanmar air force's fighting capability will greatly increase.
The military exchange between Myanmar and India has drawn special attention. According to Indian official statistics, in the past seven years, exchange of visits between military authorities of the two countries amounted to 20 times, of which Myanmar military delegations went to India for eight times.
Of the 12 tours to Myanmar by Indian military delegations, there included those made by Chief of the Army Staff, Chief of the Air Staff and Chief of the Navy Staff and Chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee.
According to the Indian News Annual published by the Indian Embassy here, in recent years, there has been a further intensification of relations between defense forces of India and Myanmar with a progressively large number of Myanmar defense personnel going to India for training and the border units of the two armies meeting twice a year at the border to ensure peace and tranquillity along the 1,400-kilometer-long front.
In addition, the two countries have also agreed to enhance cooperation in combating drug trafficking and suppression of activities of ethnic separatists in border areas.
Since 2000, Myanmar and India have successively carried out joint military operation twice against the National Socialist Council of Nagaland, destroying five bases on the Myanmar side set up by the separatists.
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