"I am willing to continue strengthening our leadership (over our countries' bilateral ties), carry forward the brotherly friendship between our two peoples, deepen comprehensive strategic cooperation," Xi told his Myanmar counterpart, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.

Min Aung Hlaing landed in Beijing on Monday to a red-carpet welcome, according to images shared by his office, and spent the first hours of his five-day trip touring Beijing Aerospace City -- the centre of China's space programme.

He is also set to meet Chinese Premier Li Qiang and top legislator Zhao Leji.

Beijing is a key provider of materiel to the Myanmar military and has also brokered a pair of landmark truces with two of the most powerful rebel factions that once challenged it in the borderlands with China.

While Myanmar has been massively impoverished by the civil war, it has also emerged as a major global supplier of mined rare earth minerals -- vital for China's production of renewable energy technology.

Xi also spoke about making greater contributions to regional peace and development through their bilateral ties.

Beijing held a state welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People before the leaders began their talks in a closed-door meetingthat lasted for less than an hour.

The two men then witnessed the signing of cooperation documents, Chinese state news agency Xinhua said.

The 18 memorandums for cooperation covered areas including cross-border transportation in the Greater Mekong subregion, free trade, assistance in natural disasters, health and media.

China remains one of the most important foreign partners of Myanmar's military, which seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021, triggering an armed uprising.

China's foreign ministry has said it supports Myanmar in unifying domestic political forces and restoring stability.

Beijing has also invested in projects in Myanmar under its Belt and Road Initiative, including an oil and gas pipeline crossing the country and planned infrastructure including a deep-sea port. 

The meeting is Min Aung Hlaing's second with Xi in less than a year, after he attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin last August. 

While Min Aung Hlaing picked India for his first foreign trip after becoming president, some analysts said the visits to China suggested a closer relationship with Beijing and a boost to his international acceptance.

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