"“Chinese president Xi Jinping’s visit to Myanmar will greatly advance bilateral relations,” Mr Chen said, according to a report by Chinese newspaper Golden Phoenix, seen by The Myanmar Times. Coinciding with the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Myanmar, Xi’s visit marks the first trip to the country as president and 19 years after former president Jiang Zeming’s visit. “Taking President Xi's visit as an opportunity, the two will strengthen strategic links, sign a series of deals and advance progress in economic projects,” said Mr Chen. The two countries will ink several deals, including the US$1.3 billion Kyaukphyu port project, while Xi is expected to push ahead the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC) scheme as well as other projects under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Initiated in 2017 under the framework of Xi’s multi-billion development strategy BRI, the corridor scheme features a Y-shaped route from China’s Yunnan Province to Myanmar’s Rakhine State and Yangon with multiple projects initiated, including the Kyaukphyu SEZ and port project, a railway project that falls on this route, among others. The fact that the Myanmar government set up the Steering Committee for the Implementation of the Community and the Silk Road Project chaired by State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is a demonstration of Myanmar’s commitment to the BRI, as seen by China..."