Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and wife Daw Kyu Kyu Hla attended the closing of a friendly basketball tournament to mark the 2023 Chinese New Year festival and launching of the Chinese New Year festival at the National Indoor Stadium 1 in Thuwunna in Yangon yesterday evening.
At the closing of the basketball tournament, athletes, Chinese traditional dance troupes and pompom dance troupes saluted the Senior General.
In the tourney, the Chinese embassy team and youth basketball team played the first match and the Chinese embassy team played with the Myanmar basketball veteran player team in the second match. The Senior General and wife watched the matches.
At the launching of the New Year festival, officials paid a courtesy to the Senior General and wife with the Chinese traditional shawl.
The Senior General and the Chinese ambassador to Myanmar pressed the button to launch the festival.
The Senior General and wife enjoyed the performance of the Chinese dragon troupe and visited the traditional exhibition and shops. Then, they viewed the launching of fireworks to mark the Chinese New Year festival.
The closing of the friendly basketball tournament was held in conjunction with the dinner to mark the launching of the Chinese New Year festival 2023. First, the Senior General and wife painted the Chinese traditional lion statue in line with Chinese traditions.
In his New Year wish, the Senior General said this ceremony was to gather families, brethren and relatives of the same home and welcomed the New Year. It was the valuable reunification of the New Year.
Myanmar issued an announcement recognizing the People’s Republic of China on 1 December 1949. The bilateral diplomatic relations were initiated on 8 June 1950, and it will turn 73 years on 8 June 2023. On 1 October 1960, Prime Minister U Nu and Premier Zhou Enlai signed the boundary agreement.
Myanmar and China are cementing the Pauk-Phaw relationship, and both countries are sharing more than 2,200 kilometres long border lines. Many ethnics from Myanmar are residing in China whereas many Chinese settle in Myanmar peacefully. The neighbouring countries sharing borders with one another must be good neighbours. So, Myanmar and China are good neighbours.
Myanmar is always standing with the one-China policy of the People’s Republic of China as a good neighbouring country. The Senior General expressed thanks to China for recognizing Myanmar as a dialogue partner in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. China is an important neighbour as well as a partner country in strategic cooperation.
On the auspicious Chinese New Year Day, the Senior General expressed his best wishes for all Chinese people from the People’s Republic of China and all Chinese people across the world including in Myanmar to be happy and auspicious in the New Year festival and to have economic development, good luck, health and all wishes.
The Chinese ambassador to Myanmar expressed thanks to the Head of State for his attendance at the Chinese New Year festival for the first time. He wished for both countries to further strengthen friendly relations. Then, the Chair of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce also made wishes.
The Senior General and wife had the New Year dinner together with those present. During the dinner, a Chinese band from Yunnan Temple performed entertainment and the Mingala dragon troupe presented dances.
Union Minister for Information U Maung Maung Ohn presented prizes to the Ministry of Home Affairs, A-Studio, Great Wall and Sweet Angel teams in the basketball tourney. The Yangon Region Chief Minister U Soe Thein presented honorary medals to the players.
The Senior General and wife enjoyed the entertainment of Chinese traditional dance troupes and artistes and presented the flower basket to them. — MNA
