Myanmar to promote friendly ties with China: speaker

YANGON, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Speaker of Myanmar's House of Representatives (Lower House) U Shwe Mann said on Tuesday that his upcoming official goodwill visit to China is aimed at promoting the existing friendly and cooperative relations between Myanmar and China.

In a brief interview with Xinhua in Yangon, U Shwe Mann noted that China is Myanmar's close neighbor and a truly friendly country.

"Whenever there is urgency, China stands by Myanmar," he said.

Asked about the China-Myanmar comprehensive strategic partnership, Shwe Mann said "the status is good." He also expects better bilateral ties in the future.

On Myanmar's reform in the light of change, he said the country is adopting a multi-party democracy system and a market-oriented economic system to build a peaceful, developed and prosperous country.

Mentioning the upcoming by-elections in the country on April 1, U Shwe Mann said of the many political parties taking part in the by-elections, both the Union Solidarity and Development Party ( USDP) and the National League for Democracy (NLD) would contest in all 48 constituencies for the vacant parliamentary seats.

Authorities have been urged to hold the by-elections in a free and fair manner with dignity, he said.

U Shwe Mann is due to leave Yangon for Beijing Wednesday on a five-day official goodwill visit to China.

Leading a parliamentary delegation, U Shwe Mann will make this trip as a guest of Wu Bangguo, the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China.

It was the first time that U Shwe Mann gave a joint interview with resident Chinese media including Xinhua.