Reuters-Myanmar intelligence chief

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Subject: Reuters-Myanmar intelligence chief arrives in China 

Myanmar intelligence chief arrives in China
07:00 a.m. Jun 07, 1999 Eastern
BEIJING, June 7 (Reuters) - A top Myanmar official arrived in Beijing for a
state visit on Monday as China seeks to cement ties with regional allies.

The five-day trip by Khin Nyunt, powerful secretary of Myanmar's ruling
State Peace and Development Council, overlaps a visit by Kim Yong-nam, the
most senior North Korean official to come to China since 1991.

An official at the Myanmar embassy said Khin Nyunt was accompanied by
Foreign Minister Win Aung and a ``large delegation.''

Khin Nyunt was scheduled to hold talks on Monday with Chinese State
Councillor Luo Gan. He would also travel to the coastal city of Xiamen and
the southwestern city of Kunming, Xinhua news agency said.

A Western diplomat said the visit was probably meant to signify solidarity
in the face of perceived aggression by NATO in Europe.

``The Chinese think-tankers have been going around saying 'now that NATO has
proved itself to be such a nasty, aggressive organisation, we're having to
look a little bit to find out who our friends are','' the diplomat said.

The two countries maintain limited cooperation in defence and drug
interdiction, and Beijing is among Yangoon's leading providers of largess.

``China is their number one supporter in the international arena,''
supporting them at the United Nations against attacks on Yangoon's human
rights record, the diplomat said.