A deputy minister of Foreign Affairs has said the ministry has no prior knowledge on the opening of the Chinese embassy in Nay Pyi Taw. The embassy is housed at the Grand ACE Villa in Zabuthiri Township in Nay Pyi Taw Council territory. “It was opened during their deputy foreign minister’s visit. We really do not know. When we raised the question they requested us to accept the opening of their embassy,” the deputy minister U Thant Kyaw said. The minister has so far not issue any instruction to take action against opening of the embassy. The Chinese state-owned Xinhua News agency reported that the embassy was opened during a visit to Myanmar by Chinese deputy foreign minister on 4 December last year. A member of Nay Pyi Taw council informed the parliament that a branch office of Chinese embassy was opened in Nay Pyi Taw and 26 foreigners live in the building. Land has allotted to foreign embassies to open their consulates in Nay Pyi Taw but no embassy so far has moved to the administrative capital. Reference: Voice Daily 22 February