SCIO Vice Minister Guo Weimin addresses the book launch ceremony in Beijing on April 9. [Photo/CRI]

Vice minister of the State Council Information Office (SCIO) Guo Weimin attended a book launch ceremony on April 9 in Beijing.

The book “Min Thu Wun’s Affinity with China” collects the translation and original works of Min Thu Wun, a Myanmar poet and scholar, as well as the father of current Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw. The book includes Min Thu Wun’s translation of Chinese literature – ranging from famous writer Lu Xun and ancient Chinese poetry – as well as essays he wrote on China when he visited the country in the1950s and 1960s.

During the book launch event, Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw, who is currently visiting China, said his father was always interested in Chinese literature, and he hoped the book can contribute to the cultural exchanges between the two countries.

SCIO Vice Minister Guo Weimin said the book is a testimony to Min Thu Wun’s interest in Chinese culture and the foundation of people-to-people exchanges between the countries. The president’s visit to China and attendance at the book launch ceremony “continues to write a new chapter of the cultural and people-to-people exchanges of the two countries,” he added.

Drawing on previous exchanges between China and Myanmar, Guo continued, “China and Myanmar are friendly neighbors linked by mountains and river, sharing deep and profound traditional ‘Paukphaw’ (fraternal) friendship….China is willing to work along with Myanmar to make more progress in the China-Myanmar comprehensive strategic partnership to benefit the two countries and their people.”

The book is compiled in both Chinese and Burmese and published by the Foreign Languages Press under the China International Publishing Group.