Pauk-Phaw Friendship Strengthened through Mutual Support, Ushering a New Chapter with Amity, Sincerity, Mutual Benefit and Inclusiveness

By Chinese Ambassador to Myanmar Ma Jia

 

ON 28 March 2025, Myanmar was suddenly hit by the most devastating earth­quake in a century. At that time, I was in Beijing, and I watched with mounting worries and anx­iety as images of destruction flooded news channels. The very next day, I quickly returned to Myanmar alongside the China Search and Rescue Team to participate in the earthquake relief efforts. I then visited the disaster-stricken areas to learn about the situation and the local needs in terms of rescue, sup­plies, medical care, and epidem­ic prevention and control. The devastation was overwhelming - roads were torn into gaping cracks, houses reduced to com­plete rubble, and in an instant, homes, schools, and gardens collapsed into ruins. This se­vere disaster deeply moved the hearts of my colleagues and mine at the Chinese Embassy, but also of the 1.4 billion Chinese people. We sincerely offered our prayers for the victims of the earthquake and mobilized all available resources and means to provide assistance and sup­port to the disaster-stricken areas.

 

Natural disasters are merciless, but human com­passion endures. This is exemplified by the mutual support between China and Myanmar through weal and woe. As a friendly neighbour and Pauk-Phaw to Myanmar, China extended a helping hand immediately after the earth­quake.

 

Chinese President Xi Jin­ping and Premier Li Qiang sent messages of condolence to My­anmar leader Min Aung Hlaing, expressing deep condolences for the victims and sincere sympathy to the families of the deceased, the injured, and the people in the disaster-strick­en areas. They affirmed that China stands ready to provide necessary assistance to help the people in the affected re­gions overcome the disaster and rebuild their homes as soon as possible. The Chinese govern­ment announced emergency humanitarian aid of 1.1 billion yuan to support Myanmar in conducting emergency rescue, epidemic prevention and con­trol, and recovery and recon­struction. Four official Chinese rescue teams and nearly 30 ci­vilian rescue teams, totalling over 600 people, made haste to the disaster-stricken areas over­night and tirelessly searched for survivors. At the same time, 9 batches of relief supplies were emergently shipped to Myan­mar, including 3,940 tents, 10,000 blankets, 40,000 mosquito nets, 18,000 tarpaulins, 55,000 first-aid kits, 1,048 sets of water puri­fication equipment, 7,000 box­es of instant food, 2,000 sets of outdoor cookware, 10,000 solar lamps, 40,000 sets of hygiene products, 648,000 doses of chol­era vaccines, 68,000 doses of tet­anus vaccines, 3,117,000 boxes/ bottles of medicine, and 163,000 pieces of medical consumables and equipment.

 

Chinese medical team rushed to provide medical treat­ment and epidemic prevention and control services in the dis­aster-stricken areas together with the rescue teams. In the aftermath, teams of experts in health and epidemic preven­tion and earthquake disaster assessment travelled to the dis­aster-stricken areas to carry out their work. Chinese enterprises, institutions, non-governmen­tal organizations, and people from all walks of life enthusi­astically donated money and materials and provided volun­teer services. Chinese media extensively reported from the disaster-stricken areas, calling on all parties to join hands in the earthquake relief efforts. China was the first country to announce aid to Myanmar, the first to send rescue teams, and the first to establish temporary shelters. It was also the coun­try sending the most rescue teams and personnel, rescuing the most survivors and provid­ing the largest humanitarian supplies.

 

Natural disasters are mer­ciless, but human compassion endures. This is exemplified by the resilience and tenac­ity of the Myanmar people. A month has passed since the earthquake, and while the pain lingers in those affected, the courage, optimism, and resil­ience of the Myanmar people have illuminated hope for the future. Despite their sorrow, the affected people have actively engaged in self-help and mu­tual assistance. Teachers, with remarkable courage, returned to dangerous areas to organ­ize student evacuations. At the same time, charitable organi­zations and individuals quickly took action, donating funds and providing support. Residents provided iced tea, watermel­on, and meals to international rescue team members and ap­plied Thanaka to help them stay cool and away from mosquitoes. These vivid scenes showcase the courage, kindness, and unity of the Myanmar people. I firm­ly believe that the Myanmar people will rebuild their homes in the shortest possible time, and this golden land will surely radiate an even more dazzling brilliance.

 

Natural disasters are mer­ciless, but human compassion endures. This is exemplified by the vibrant practice of building a community with a shared future between China and Myanmar. The friendship between our two countries has endured for over 2,000 years, from frequent historical ex­changes to jointly advocating the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence to now building a community with a shared fu­ture. This not only inherits the Pauk-Phaw friendship but also embodies the concepts of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit, and inclusiveness.

 

Amity lies in blood connec­tion. China and Myanmar are geographically close, cultural­ly linked, and share Buddhist ties. The mighty Irrawaddy Riv­er, born in the Chinese high­lands, journeys through My­anmar’s heartland, fostering a long-standing friendship and integration. The term “Pauk- Phaw” in Burmese, which lit­erally means “siblings from the same womb”, perfectly captures the familial closeness Myanmar people feel towards their Chi­nese counterparts. Our modem partnership was forged in the crucible of a shared struggle against colonialism and imperi­alism. Myanmar’s distinction as the first country with a different political system to acknowledge the People’s Republic of China marked a watershed moment in international relations. The fre­quent mutual visits between the older generation of leaders from both countries, represented by Premier Zhou Enlai and Prime Minister U Nu, blossomed into diplomatic legend, establishing a pattern of high-level exchange that continues today. In 2020, President Xi Jinping made a his­toric visit to Myanmar, ushering in a new era of jointly building a China-Myanmar community with a shared future.

 

Sincerity lies in heart-to-heart communication. Since the establishment of diplomatic re­lations 75 years ago, China and Myanmar have cultivated a re­lationship characterized by mu­tual trust, respect, and support. Together, our countries have championed and exemplified the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, setting an example of equality, mutual benefit, and common development among countries big and small. China respects Myanmar in safeguard­ing its national sovereignty and territorial integrity and pursu­ing a development path that suits its own conditions. China has actively assisted Myanmar in advancing the peace process in northern Myanmar based on the wishes and demands of rel­evant parties in Myanmar. Re­gardless of how the situation changes, China’s commitment to Myanmar’s peace and stabili­ty, sustained economic develop­ment, and the better welfare of its people remains unchanged.

 

The mutual benefit lies in win-win cooperation. Our joint effort to build the Belt and Road and the China-Myanmar Eco­nomic Corridor consistently adheres to the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared ben­efits, aiming to achieve equali­ty, mutual benefit, and win-win outcomes. China’s vast market provides an export destination for Myanmar’s agricultural, livestock, and aquatic products and continues to expand access. Chinese enterprises bring cap­ital, technology, and expertise to Myanmar’s manufacturing sector while participating in the construction of railways, ports, and industrial parks. The Lan­cang-Mekong Cooperation Spe­cial Fund has nurtured over 110 “small yet beautiful” projects. China-Myanmar cooperation has helped create jobs, improve livelihoods, and develop Myan­mar’s economy.

 

Inclusiveness lies in mutual exchange and mutual learning. Both China and Myanmar have long and splendid civilizations, with exchanges and mutual learning that date back a long way. The sophisticated music and dance of Myanmar’s Pyu Kingdom captivated audiences in Chang’an (modern Xi’an), the capital of the Tang Dynas­ty, inspiring China’s renowned poet Bai Juyi to write down the famous poem that has passed down through the ages.

 

Caravans traversing the an­cient tea-horse road between Yunnan and Myanmar were bustling, with the fragrance of tea filling the air. Exchanges and cooperation in literature, art, Buddhism, and other fields between the two countries have been going on continually. In a significant gesture of cultural appreciation, Myanmar desig­nated the Chinese Spring Fes­tival as an official public hol­iday. Cultural performances featuring Chinese martial arts, flute, and guzheng melodies intertwined with Myanmar’s traditional dances on the fes­tive stage create harmonious expressions of our distinct yet compatible artistic heritage.

 

Natural disasters are mer­ciless, but human compassion endures. This is exemplified by the shared aspiration to build peaceful, secure, pros­perous, beautiful, and friend­ly “five homes” in Asia. Many Asian countries have provided active support and assistance to Myanmar in earthquake relief, fully embodying the Asian values of peace, cooperation, openness, and inclusiveness. The world is undergoing a once-in-a-century transformation, and Asia stands at a new starting point for revi­talization, facing development opportunities and risks that are both unprecedented. In early April, I returned to China to at­tend the Central Conference on Work Related to Neighbouring Countries. It was emphasized at the conference that China will consolidate strategic mu­tual trust with its neighbours, support regional countries in following a steady development path, and properly manage dif­ferences and disputes. China will also deepen development integration with its neighbours, build a high-level connectivity network, strengthen cooper­ation in industrial and supply chains, maintain regional stabil­ity, conduct security and law en­forcement cooperation, respond to various risks and challenges, expand people-to-people inter­actions and communication, and facilitate personnel exchanges.

 

China will continue to be a positive force for stability, coop­eration, and progress in a tur­bulent and changing world, fos­tering good regional relations, mutual security for neighbour­ing countries, and prosperity for trade partners. We will endeav­our to maintain friendly cooper­ation with neighbouring coun­tries, including Myanmar, and work together to implement the Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative, and Global Civilization Initiative. This collaborative approach en­sured that Chinese moderniza­tion generates benefits beyond our borders, energizes solidarity among Global South countries, preserves regional peace and stability, and accelerates Asia’s collective modernization jour­ney.

 

The earthquake may have torn the land apart, but it cannot sever China-Myanmar “Pauk- Phaw” friendship, nor can it shake our belief and confidence in standing together through hardships. China will continue to extend its assistance to Myan­mar by providing prefabricated houses, mobile operation rooms, and other essential supplies. Additionally, we will dispatch experts in structural inspection and cultural relic protection to Myanmar to actively participate in post-disaster reconstruction efforts, aiding the Myanmar peo­ple in swiftly resuming normal life. As we jointly commemorate the 75^th anniversary of diplomat­ic relations between China and Myanmar this year, we reaffirm our commitment to elevating bilateral ties to new heights and promoting the steady and long-term development of the Chi­na-Myanmar community with a shared future in the new era.

 

(The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.)