A Study On The Chinese Government’s Assistance To Myanmar(1956-2016)

After World War‖,foreign assistance as a diplomatic tool became widespread in the international community and gradually became an important element in the study of the history of international relations.China has a great deal of experience in the issue of foreign aid,and the People’s Republic of China began to assist neighbouring countries one after another in the second year after its establishment.Myanmar was the first developing country to recognise the People’s Republic of China and was one of the first countries that China assisted.However,the academic community has not paid enough attention to the issue of China’s assistance to Myanmar,and the only research findings are limited to the current situation and problems of China’s assistance to Myanmar,lacking a historical perspective to collate and analyse China’s assistance to Myanmar.Based on the collection of relevant historical materials and information,this article will apply the research methods of political science and history to study the Chinese government’s aid to Myanmar during the period1956-2016.China’s assistance to Myanmar is a product of the normalisation of Sino-Myanmar relations and a reflection of the continued development of good relations between China and Myanmar throughout history.The first part of this article provides a historical overview of the development of China-Myanmar relations,and discusses the characteristics and influencing factors of China-Myanmar relations at different stages.China’s assistance to Myanmar is rich in content,and based on existing historical sources and data,this article divides Chinese aid to Myanmar into economic and technical assistance,humanitarian assistance,medical and health assistance,and alternative plantation programmes,and uses time as a clue to sort out the content of China’s assistance to Myanmar.Unlike Western aid that is predatory and controlling in nature,the Chinese government’s assistance to Myanmar is characterised by the following features: firstly,no political conditions are attached;secondly,it helps Myanmar to achieve self-reliance;thirdly,it adheres to the principle of moderation;and fourthly,it embodies equality,mutual benefit and reciprocity,which has led to the consolidation and development of friendly relations between China and Myanmar.By assisting Myanmar,the Chinese government has maintained good relations with Myanmar,safeguarded the country’s security,enhanced its national image and broadened its international market.By receiving assistance from the Chinese government,Myanmar has,in a short period,acquired the necessary funds and technology for development,increased its defence capabilities,improved its disaster relief and mitigation capacity,and restored its international reputation.