Myanmar's politics is on the brink of dramatic change.

Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy (NLD) under her leadership are fueling up for the national elections in 2015.

After being reelected as the head of NLD at its first national session on Sunday, Suu Kyi appointed 15 members to the new executive board of her party.

Although it is a minority in parliament with only 43 seats, the NLD is growing fast and powerful because its leader Suu Kyi has widespread influence all over the country.

Many public figures in Myanmar tell me that she has earned a high reputation. She is even adored among some ordinary people.

Focusing on Myanmar's political changes, outsiders might have different views.

Nevertheless, it is ultimately the insiders, the people of Myanmar, that have the right to decide where the country is heading.

Since Thein Sein took the president's office in the spring of 2011, a wide range of reforms have been implemented.

Along with the NLD's being unbanned and reregistered as a legitimate party, Suu Kyi and her supporters have plunged into a new round of political activities.

As Thein Sein himself has said, there is no way back in reform and the country can only move forward. The opposition's participation in parliament creates the possibility that it might be the next ruling party. All that matters then is how many votes it can get.

Myanmar's political situation involves the mingling of many forces. No matter what these forces are, as long as they don't hold an anti-China position, China should keep a friendly attitude, take a neutral stance, and ask for more communication.

With Suu Kyi and the NLD's involvement in Myanmar's politics, it makes sense for China to recognize their status in Myanmar and develop a formal and public relationship with them. This also respects the choice made by the Myanmar people.

We can hope that the Chinese government will invite the NLD to pay a formal visit to China, and even invite Suu Kyi at an appropriate time.

Suu Kyi's visit would not imply that China is utterly behind her and the NLD, but could break the ice. China could make use of this opportunity to show its respect for Myanmar's national conditions and express its willingness to develop communication and understanding between China and Myanmar at all levels.

In the meantime, China can introduce its own experience in reform and opening-up. Suu Kyi and her party, which advocate a peaceful, rational and gradual reform, can learn from China's experiences.

Through a deep contact with Suu Kyi and the NLD, China will have a better understanding of their concepts of governance, which will be helpful to deal with any change in the future relationship between China and Myanmar.

As a farsighted and pragmatic politician, Suu Kyi has expressed her willingness to visit China many times.

On the day after she had been released from her many years of house arrest, she said that China is a very important neighbor to Myanmar, and Myanmar should not take China as its enemy.

On being released, Suu Kyi became a target of some Western politicians, because they want to persuade her to take an anti-China position. But this is just wishful thinking.

The future visit of Suu Kyi to China will likely be used by these people to make a fuss.

But this will have little impact. Misunderstanding between China and Myanmar will be reduced, and more shared views will be established.

Almost every year, the opposition leaders of some countries visit China at the invitation of the government and other organizations, and there are even some top meetings. No one thinks this is China's intervention into the domestic affairs of other countries.

Thus, an invitation to the leader of Myanmar's opposition also conforms with international conventions.

The author is a senior editor with People's Daily. He's now stationed in Bangkok. dinggang@globaltimes.com.cn