China's Wang Yi urges war-torn Myanmar to seek 'political reconciliation'

TOKYO -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged Myanmar to pursue political reconciliation and hold long-promised elections, during a visit to the strife-torn Southeast Asian nation that has seen the military regime lose key outposts to resistance forces in recent weeks.

Wang met with military chief Min Aung Hlaing and influential former leader Than Shwe in Naypyitaw on Wednesday. Speculation had swirled about whether he would see the former, amid rumors of internal dissent within the regime, known as the State Administration Council, and possible efforts to remove the senior general from power.