The New State Counsellor
April 7 – The State Counsellor Bill was signed by Htin Kyaw and Aung San Su Kyi became the very first state councellor in Myanmar in the new cabinet of Htin Kyaw. During the debates for the Bill, military representatives opposed the Bill as they believed the new role was unconstitutional. The Bill states that the role is essential to multiparty, federal democracy and peaceful development. According to the Law, State Counsellor can contact and cooperate with both parliamentary and ministerial leaders and will provide legal authority for her to direct all government activities and policies that is not controlled by the military. The holder of the post will serve in the role for a term equivalent to that of the incumbent President of Myanmar.
Two New Ministries
April 5 – Aung San Su Kyi relinquished nearly half of her positions as Minister for Education and Minister for Electricity and Energy. Pe Zin Tun (former Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Electric Power and Energy) will be the new Minister for Electricity and Energy. Myo Thein Gyi (former Rector of the University of West Yangon and Director- General of the Department of Higher Education) will be the new Minister for Education.
Foreign Minister of China Visit
April 5 – Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi held talks with her China counterpart in Nay Pyi Taw to hold bilateral discussions. But the discussion did not involve any issue of China’s controversial projects in Myanmar. The purpose of Wang Yi’s visit was to offer his praise and congratulations to the new government on their smooth democratic ascension to becoming the ruling party. This was the scope of the talks and the two state representatives did not discuss any other issues in detail, said Aung San Suu Kyi at a press conference following the meeting. Suu Kyi thanked the Chinese government for Wang Yi’s visit, which marked the first visit of a foreign high-ranking official under the new government, saying that the friendship between neighbouring countries is of great value to the socioeconomic development of the people and expressed that the new government attaches great value to Myanmar’s friendship with neighbouring countries. Wang Yi said Myanmar has seen change in internal affairs but China’s friendly relations with Myanmar have remained unchanged, pledging that China would not interfere in the internal affairs of Myanmar. “China supports the choice of the Myanmar people and I hope Myanmar will find itself on the right path in conformity with the country’s reality,” Wang Yi said. He further said that the two sides had reached some agreements during the talk but did not mention anything in detail. Asked to give his view on some of China’s huge controversial projects in Myanmar, he said such challenges can be solved through the means of friendship and cooperation.
