Renovated Zhou Enlai prayer hall officially opened at Shwezigon Pagoda

July 4

 

The reopening ceremony of the renovated Zhou Enlai Prayer Hall took place yesterday morning in the precinct of Shwezigon Pagoda in Bagan Ancient Cultural Zone. The ceremony was attended by Union Minister for Foreign Affairs U Wunna Maung Lwin, State Councilor of the People’s Republic of China and Foreign Affairs Minister Mr. Wang Yi, Deputy Minister U Kyaw Myo Htut, Chinese Ambassador to Myanmar Mr Chen Hai, Mandalay Region Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation Minister U Myo Aung and officials.

 

At the ceremony, Ambassador Mr Chen Hai said the Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai visited Myanmar for nine times and built the prayer hall during his visit in 1961, as a symbol of the Sino-Myanmar friendship. The ambassador said his attendance to the inauguration ceremony of the prayer hall succeeded to the legacy of Sino-Myanmar friendly relations, reflecting the clear stance of China on bilateral cooperation. He also added that the bilateral cooperation would benefit the peoples of both countries.

 

Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs U Kyaw Myo Htut said the Zhou Enlai prayer hall proves the friendly relations between Myanmar and China. He said that the two countries could pass on Pauk Phaw relationship and multi-sectoral cooperation to the next generations through cultural cooperation between the two countries, and would be able to move forward to the establishment of a Sino-Myanmar warm and cohesive community.

 

The Union Minister and China’s Foreign Affairs Minister Mr. Wang Yi formally opened the prayer hall and then paid homage to Shwezigon Pagoda. They also paid homage to Thabbyinnyu Pagoda and inspected the renovation project of the pagoda which is being carried out with the Chinese assistance.

 

A magnitude 6.8 earthquake on 24 August 2016 caused damage to 425 pagodas in Bagan. On 18 September 2016, a Provincial Administration joint executive committee of Cultural Heritage of China was sent to Myanmar to conduct the survey on 21 heavy damaged pagodas. Two countries signed an MoU on 22 September 2018 and the renovation project of the Thabbyinnyu Pagoda commenced with the assistance from China.—MNA