A Myanmar delegation, led by Union Minister for Construction U Myo Thant, who is in Chong­qing, People's Republic of China, met with the Vice Mayor and officials of the Chongqing Mu­nicipal People's Government on 21 January.

During the meeting, the Union Minister highlighted the 75-year diplomatic relations between Myanmar and China, discussed the Ministry of Con­struction's efforts in balanced urban-rural development under the National Spatial Develop­ment Framework Plan, including the drafting and implementa­tion of town plans and master plans for industrial zones, and expressed interest in exploring collaboration on urban develop­ment and modern technologies for road and bridge construc­tion.

Then, the Vice Mayor Mr Jiang Duntao of Chongqing expressed strong support for China-Myanmar friendship, em­phasizing the Chongqing Mu­nicipal People's Government's commitment to continued invest­ment in Myanmar, including the construction sector, and outlined plans for the Myanmar delega­tion to meet Chinese construc­tion investors and technology companies, as well as explore Chongqing and its surroundings.

Afterwards, the Union Min­ister visited the Commerce De­partment of the Chongqing Mu­nicipal People's Government and met with Mr Zhang Yongwu, the Director-General of the Chong­qing Municipal Commission of Commerce, as well as officials from the Chongqing Municipal Foreign Affairs Department, the Urban Planning and Natural Re­sources Bureau, the Construc­tion Commission, and business owners.

During the meeting, Mr Zhang Yongwu discussed the geographical situation of China and Myanmar, economic and in­frastructure cooperation, and ex­changed views with the Chinese officials and entrepreneurs, as well as the Myanmar entrepre­neurs who attended.

During their visit to Chong­qing and Shenzhen, the Union Minister and his team observed the construction and operation of expressways, bridge construc­tion sites, urban roads with trees and flowery plants, pedestrian platforms, factories producing and distributing platform blocks, and urban and housing construc­tion project sites. They returned to Yangon via Guangzhou yester­day. — MNA/TH