The National Unity Government (NUG) has issued a statement condemning the Chinese government for dealing with and recognising Myanmar’s Military Council government.

The NUG criticised a 28 March press release by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs that highlighted an invitation to visit China on 1 April given to the Military Council member Wunna Maung Lwin, who the Chinese referred to as the Myanmar Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The NUG object to Wunna Maung Lwin being referred to as the Minister of Foreign Affairs. In a statement the NUG said: “The National Unity Government (NUG) of Myanmar condemns in the strongest possible terms the use of the title "Minister of Foreign Affairs" by Wunna Maung Lwin, who is an agent of the illegitimate military council formed by the Commander-in-Chief of the Myanmar Armed Forces following a military Coup perpetrated on February 1, 2021.

“The NUG further observes that any such invitations to Wunna Maung Lwin or other agents of the illegitimate military council to represent Myanmar in any capacity are seen by the Myanmar people as deeply disrespectful and offensive.”

Wunna Maung Lwin met Wang Yi, the State Councilor and Foreign Minister of the People's Republic of China, in Tunxi, Anhui Province on 1 April.

In a statement, Wang Yi said: “China is ready to work with Myanmar to implement the outcomes of President Xi Jinping's historic visit to Myanmar, forge the four pillars of political mutual trust, mutually beneficial cooperation, people-to-people bonds and mutual learning in culture and people-to-people exchanges...so as to achieve the goal of building a China Myanmar community with a shared future".

The NUG pointed out that on 17 January 2021 President Xi Jinping of the People's Republic of China paid a courtesy visit to Myanmar at the invitation of Aung San Suu Kyi and her democratically elected National League for Democracy (NLD) government. At that meeting both governments agreed to deepen cooperation towards building a China-Myanmar community with a shared future.

In its statement the NUG said that it remains committed to this goal and that any “effort to build a "Community of Shared Future" with an illegitimate and genocidal regime risks serious damage to the international reputation of the People's Republic of China. Equally important, the people of Myanmar will soundly reject any efforts by foreign governments to establish such a partnership with the illegitimate military regime.”

It added: “there is no way for the Myanmar people to participate in any such cooperation when they are suffering under the military's ongoing reign of terror being perpetrated across the country.”

Talking of developing people to people relations between the two countries the NUG said: “The best way for China to advance people to people relations is to immediately compel the military junta to stop

all violence, restore civilian governance, and to work with the NUG and Myanmar's diverse ethnic nationalities groups to deliver humanitarian assistance to end the suffering of the Myanmar people. Such a move would help China and Myanmar secure a strong and robust community of shared future.”

The statement ended by stressing that “reconciliation is impossible until the military ceases and is held accountable for its war crimes”, but once that is achieved “the NUG welcomes cooperation with China towards deepening the country's democratic transition.”