No official coverage on General Maung Aye’s visit to China

DVB (August 25,2003)

General Maung Aye, one of the top SPDC officials was received by the Chinese President, Hu Jingtao on 22 August.

The news was reported by CCTV, the state-owned television.

According to a Burmese who lives on the Sino-Burmese border, “in the news, Hu said that China doesn’t like interfering other countries’ domestic affairs. China also rejects the US action and does not support the international blockades. He hopes the Burmese generals would solve their domestic problems fairly within Burma.”

Although General Maung Aye’s trip to China was reported by the international media, the military owned media imposed news blackout inside Burma.

Local residents in Rangoon said that was the first time for the government media to impose news blackout on an official visit.

The former editor of Botahtaung newspaper, U Htein Linn pointed out, “I am very surprised. In the past when the state leaders including Lieutenant-General Maung Aye went on a state visit, state media tended to mention the news in advance or at least the radio and newspapers announced the news.”

According to U Htein Linn, people heard of the news from foreign news media. There have also been many discussions about the trip. Some people believe that the visit was not for political matters but military matters.

Meanwhile, U Htein Linn said that ‘The New Light of Myanmar’, state owned newspaper is reducing its print run due to people’s lack of trust on the government after the Dipeyin incident and the paper’s soaring price.