Referring to Japanese media reports that India's position in Myanmar's diplomacy will outweigh China, an article in the state-run Global Times said Suu Kyi's visitto China last week "shows that China seems to be more significant than India in Myanmar's diplomacy".
"Yet in June, (State Counsellor and Foreign Minister) Suu Kyi expressed her wish to visit India during her meeting with V K Singh, India Minister of State for External Affairs," it said.
While China laid the red carpet for her, making a strong push for Myanmar to revive the stalled USD 3.6 billion Myitsone dam, Suu Kyi during the five-day visit sought China's help for Myanmar's peace process with a number of rebel groups, some of whom are ethnic Chinese outfits who received support from across the border.
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The ties between Myanmar and India are full of peculiarity, complexity, and versatility due to historical connections, "as they face problems including border disputes, cross-border ethnic minorities and Indians in Myanmar, their relations have been far from smooth," it said.
"For instance, Suu Kyi's mother used to be Myanmar's Ambassador to India. Suu Kyi spent her adolescence in the country and graduated from University of Delhi. Apart from that, many other democratic activists have been supported and protected by India," it said.
The Myanmese people have strong sense of self-esteem and independence and they stick to the five principles of peaceful coexistence, pursue a non-aligned independent international status and hope to develop friendly relation with all countries, especially with their neighbours, it said.
Also Myanmar is quite special in Indian diplomacy.
"Due to its location, Myanmar is considered by India as a buffer state between it and China and therefore cannot be controlled by major powers like China," it said.
Myanmar is a crucial link to Bangladesh-China-India- Myanmar Economic Corridor, which is part of Beijing's Silk Road plan and has worked jointly with China on oil and natural gas pipelines and port construction, it said.
Myanmar is also a gateway for India's Look East Policy toward both East Asia and Southeast Asia.
Connectivity between the two is therefore crucial to a stronger economic, political and cultural relationship between India and ASEAN.
"As there are a large number of cross-border ethnic groups and rebels from Northeast India have military bases in Myanmar, relations with Myanmar matter a lot to the security of Northeast India," it said.
In an apparent reference to China's long-backing for Myanmar's military junta which kept Suu Kyi in house detention for over one-and-a-half decade, the article said "China needs to learn the lessons these things teach."
"The Chinese government must keep contact with both Myanmar's government and people. Beijing should also increase guidance for non-governmental organisations abroad and student exchanges to promote people-to-people exchanges and boost the friendship between the two sides," it said.