Myanmar

During the series of East Asian leaders' meetings held in Bali, Indonesia, the Myanmar issue became one of the focuses of attention of all parties.

　　 On November 17, the leaders of ASEAN countries unanimously expressed their support for Myanmar to assume the 2014 ASEAN chairmanship. On the 18th, US President Barack Obama said that he would send Secretary of State Clinton to visit Myanmar early next month-this will be the first visit to Myanmar by the US Secretary of State in more than 50 years.

　　 According to Reuters, Myanmar President U Thein Sein said in an interview in Bali on the 19th that he is optimistic about the recent changes in Myanmar and hopes that this will help Myanmar emerge from international isolation at an early date. He emphasized that Myanmar is trying to carry out democratic reforms, but this is different from democracy in Western countries.

　　 Previously, Myanmar Minister of Propaganda and Culture Minister Wu Jueshan accepted an interview with The Wall Street Journal on the 15th, claiming that Myanmar has begun an "irreversible" reform process and calling on the US government to lift its unreasonable economic sanctions.

　　 Since Myanmar joined ASEAN in 1997, it has not held the rotating chairmanship due to various reasons. Myanmar gave up its 2006 chairmanship mainly because under pressure from the West, some ASEAN countries did not agree to Myanmar's chairmanship. Since the new government of Myanmar came to power this year, it has regarded striving for the 2014 ASEAN chairmanship as an important goal of its diplomatic efforts, and has conducted close consultations and coordination with ASEAN for this purpose.

　　 United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stated at the East Asia Summit on the 19th that he supports ASEAN’s decision to choose Myanmar as its rotating chairmanship in 2014. Ban Ki-moon said that he will visit Myanmar soon to see with his own eyes the progress made there.

　　 The news of Clinton's upcoming visit to Myanmar has also received extensive attention from Southeast Asian media. It is generally believed that the United States and Western countries may re-examine the long-term sanctions against Myanmar. However, when Obama announced Clinton's visit to Myanmar, he warned that although Myanmar has made significant progress, it still needs to deepen reforms to establish a new relationship with the United States.

　　 The National League for Democracy led by Aung San Suu Kyi also announced on the 18th that it has decided to rejoin politics and will register to participate in the upcoming parliamentary by-election. Its spokesperson Nian Wen said in Yangon on the 12th: “The National League for Democracy may re-register, and Aung San Suu Kyi may also participate in the upcoming parliamentary by-election.”

　　 Before Myanmar’s first general election in 20 years in November last year, the National League for Democracy called for boycotting the general election and refused to re-register. The Myanmar government announced its automatic dissolution on the grounds that it was "unregistered as a general election party." Therefore, the National League for Democracy or its leader Aung San Suu Kyi will participate in the parliamentary by-election, provided that the party is re-registered as a legal party. Not long ago, the President of Myanmar U Thein Sein approved the amendment of the current political party registration laws, removing many restrictions on party registration and the background of candidates, creating conditions for the National League for Democracy to re-register and Aung San Suu Kyi's candidacy.

　 There are more than 40 seats vacant in the People's House and the National House of the Union of Myanmar. At present, the Myanmar government has not announced the specific date of the parliamentary by-election. However, there is news that the election may be held before the end of the year.

　　 It is generally believed that Aung San Suu Kyi's recognition of Myanmar's reform will have an important impact on whether the United States and Europe will lift sanctions. Aung San Suu Kyi said on the 19th that Myanmar’s reforms still face many obstacles that need to be overcome, and she is ready to return to the political arena. But she has not yet made a clear statement on whether to run for the election.