Aung San Suu Kyi visits Myanmar children at Beijing hospital

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Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi paid a visit to 12 Myanmarese children receiving treatment for congenital heart disease at Beijing Anzhen Hospital on Tuesday. The children, from less privileged households, are being treated for free under a humanitarian effort by the hospital and the China Charity Federation.  

The joint action plan kicked off on March 27, with staff from the charity organization and medical officers, led by cardiac specialists, traveling to Myanmar to carefully select who would receive the free treatment. A total of 54 patients, ranging from two to 16 years of age, were chosen. 

The 12 children visited by Suu Kyi are the first batch of patients to receive the surgery in the Chinese capital under the plan. Eight have already undergone surgery and are in good condition, while the rest are scheduled to have their operations soon. 

The other two groups of patients are due to arrive in Beijing soon. The treatment is an act of China-Myanmar cooperation as part of the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative. 

Animal toys and snacks were brought to the children, as Suu Kyi gave them her well wishes and asked questions on their recovery process. She gave them words of comfort, urging them to be brave and relax. 

Suu Kyi visited each child’s bed, listening to the doctor’s prognosis for each patient. Responding to a question from a reporter from Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, Suu Kyi said she was pleased the children are recovering and being treated well. She also praised the humanitarian effort giving the children free treatment, and expressed gratitude to the China Charity Federation.‍

At the plan’s launch ceremony back in March, China’s ambassador to Myanmar, Hong Liang, said the program would promote the China-Myanmar “paukphaw” (fraternal) friendship.