Hillary Clinton is the first US state secretary to visit Myanmar, also known as Burma, in half a century. On Thursday, she is due to meet President Thein Sein in the capital Naypyidaw before travelling on to Yangon where she is scheduled to have dinner with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Clinton's visit to one of the world's most closed nations is a "signal of legitimacy and international acceptance," said Mark Farmaner from Burma Campaign UK.

The trip comes weeks after US President Barack Obama said he wanted to expand ties with the once-pariah state where he said he saw "flickers of progress."

However, the US has made clear that the lifting of diplomatic sanctions does not mean the lifting of economic sanctions and there is still a long way to go regarding democratic reforms and the situation of human rights.

Boosting presence in Asia-Pacific

Above all, Clinton’s visit is part of the US drive to consolidate its influence in the Asia-Pacific region.

Obama recently announced a new de facto military base in Australia and also outlined the proposals for trans-Pacific free trade zone. What is increasingly clear is that the US does not want to watch on as China expands its political and economic influence in the region.

"The events fit into the American strategy to place the focus on Asia and to surround China," stated Farmaner.

Challenging China

As Gerhard Will from the German Institute for International and Security Affairs in Berlin pointed out, it is also "to show China that the US is now engaged in a country where Beijing has played an extremely important role."

China remains Myanmar's most important strategic partner although recently Beijing was caught unawares when Naypyidaw shelved a very controversial Chinese-led megadam project on the Irrawaddy River without consulting Beijing. Reportedly, some 30,000 Chinese migrants had already arrived in Myanmar to work on the construction sites when the decision was made.

Nonetheless, the two countries are likely to remain closely linked and earlier this week Myanmar's army chief Min Aung Hlaing met Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping to discuss further military cooperation, according to China's official news agency Xinhua.

India's growing influence

India also wants to expand its military cooperation with Myanmar and would like a share of its abundance in natural resources that includes wood, gas, oil and precious stones. Last month, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh offered $500 million in credits for infrastructure projects. The two countries also sealed a deal to expand cooperation in oil and gas exploration.

Myanmar's natural resources are also one of the reasons why the US has now joined the diplomatic tug-of-war, said Farmaner: "Different US companies are lobbying for the relaxation of economic sanctions against Myanmar so they can gain access to them."

He also pointed out that the US and the international community had to be cautious towards Myanmar, where President Thein Sein has linked his political fate to political reform, but where the human rights situation remains abysmal. Farmaner and other activists insist that the Burmese government has to be judged on its actions, not on its words.

Author: Rodion Ebbighausen / act
Editor: Arun Chowdhury