China's President Xi Jinping to visit Myanmar today with BRI on agenda

With the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) on the agenda, Chinese President Xi Jinping will kickstart his visit to Myanmar on Friday.

Xi plans to ink several infrastructural deals on his first foreign trip of the year.

The trip comes on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Myanmar.

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On Xi's agenda will be expanding the belt and road initiative to neighbouring Myanmar. This will involve the revival of stalled multi-billion dollar projects. However, a special focus will be on the 'China-Myanmar Economic Corridor'. The corridor, which is yet to materialise, will connect China with the Indian ocean.

Beijing will also seek to increase investment in Myanmar.

However, Chinese projects have sparked fears of environmental damage and displacement.

Xi is likely to discuss the deep-sea port project in Rakhine which was scaled down over fears of a Chinese debt trap.

Similarly, a china-backed dam project was suspended as it would have led to the displacement of tens of thousands of villagers.

Myanmar which is facing international condemnation over accusation of Rohingya genocide is increasingly becoming dependent on China.

China had backed Myanmar in the United Nations over the persecution of the Rohingya minority.

This is the first visit by a Chinese president to Myanmar in nearly 20 years.

In a bid to bolster strategic ties, Xi will be meeting with Myanmar Army Chief Min Aung Hlaing. He will also call upon the country's state counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi.