U Htin Kyaw unveils father's book in China

President of Myanmar U Htin Kyaw (right) with editor Li Mou at the book launch in Beijing. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Min Thu Wun's Affinity with China - a book in Chinese and Burmese - was unveiled by the President of Myanmar U Htin Kyaw in Beijing on Sunday.

The late Min Thu Wun, the president's father, was a famous poet who is regarded as one of the three luminaries in Myanmar's literary movement called Khitsan (new writing) of the 1930s.

The president attended the book launch at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing during his first visit to China since becoming Myanmar's leader in 2016.

Published by China's Foreign Language Press in April, the book is a collection of Min Thu Wun's essays on China and Chinese literature, reflecting the cultural links between China and Myanmar.

"I would like to extend my gratitude to those who contributed to the book's publishing process," U Htin Kyaw said at the ceremony. "My father put great emphasis on introducing Chinese literature to Myanmar. He thought the two have many things in common."

He still has some of his father's manuscripts, he said.

The book includes the Burmese translation of Tang Dynasty (618-907) poet Bai Juyi's poems, modern writer Lu Xun's short stories and ancient Chinese fables.

Li Mou, a professor of Burmese language and literature at Peking University, has written a short biography of Min Thu Wun. Li is one of the editors of the new book.

Decades ago, he helped Min Thu Wun with some of the translations which are included in the book. A student of Burmese language at Beijing Foreign Studies University in the 1950s, Li was among the first Chinese students to visit Myanmar. He met Min Thu Wun while studying in the University of Yangon from 1958 to 1962.