China is willing to promote anti-drug cooperation with Myanmar, Luo Gan, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said in Beijing Tuesday.

Luo made the remark while meeting visiting Myanmar Prime Minister Khin Nyunt, who arrived in Beijing Sunday afternoon on a seven-day official goodwill visit to China as Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's guest.

The two sides spoke positively of the bilateral ties and exchanged views on such issues as border management and anti-drug cooperation between China and Myanmar.

Luo said China and Myanmar enjoy a good relationship as a whole in managing and securing the border. They noted that the emergence of new problems will increase personnel exchanges between the two sides.

The Chinese side is willing to join hands with Myanmar to seek methods for promoting border management, improve cooperation mechanism, fight against transnational crimes and increase security, Luo said.

Luo said China and Myanmar have strengthened their cooperation in drug control in recent years. Their efforts have fought effectively against drug production and trafficking, and China is willing to further strengthen the anti-drug cooperation.

Statistics show that China and Myanmar have jointly combated drugs for more than 70 times and demolished 13 drug processing factories and made 620,000 mu (about 41,000 hectare) substitute planting for opium poppy. China speaks highly of Myanmar's practice of handing over many arrested drug barons to China, Luo said.

Khin Nyunt agreed with Luo that the Myanmar and China have successfully cooperated in border management and drug control. He noted that this kind of cooperation is in accordance with the interests of both sides.

Myanmar will continue to attach great importance to such cooperation with China, he said.

(Xinhua News Agency July 14, 2004)