NAY PYI TAW, Myanmar, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar top leader Senior-General Than Shwe met with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi in the new capital of Nay Pyi Taw Friday.

    Than Shwe, Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council, said Myanmar and China, linked by mountains and rivers, has a long-standing friendship between the two peoples and the two sides have had close exchange ever since.

    Noting that for a long period, China has rendered valuable support and assistance to Myanmar's economic and social development, Than Shwe expressed Myanmar's thanks to the genuine and sincere aid extended by China in the post-cyclone period this year.

    The Myanmar side appreciates the Myanmar-China traditional friendship, he said, expressing wishes to maintain exchange at high level, expand the mutually beneficial cooperation in all sectors to enable the Myanmar-China friendship to be inherited generation by generation.

    At the meeting, Yang said China and Myanmar are friendly neighbors with deep "Paukphaw (fraternal)" friendship. The two sides always pay respect to each other, deal on equality, trust mutually and cooperate sincerely.

    Recalling that the cause of friendly relations between China and Myanmar was forged and fostered by leaders of elder generations of the two countries, he held that the policy of adherence to China-Myanmar friendship would not change.

    He also expressed China's wishes to enhance exchange and cooperation in all sectors to jointly push ahead the development of China-Myanmar good-neighborly and friendly ties.

    On the occasion, Than Shwe briefed Yang on Myanmar's domestic situation, saying that the reconstruction work of Myanmar in the post-cyclone period has achieved positive progress and the government would continue to strive for the promotion of the country's stability, democratic process and economic development, based on the principles of independence and self-determination, and to launch exchange and cooperation externally opposing outside interference.

    Yang also held that the Chinese side will as always support Myanmar in safeguarding the country's sovereignty and stability, push political reconciliation and democracy and strive for the enhancement of its economic and social development.

    On Thursday, Yang had talks with his Myanmar counterpart U NyanWin in the new capital.

    The Chinese foreign minister arrived Nay Pyi Taw earlier on Thursday on a two-day visit to Myanmar.