Two Chinese warships have made a rare visit to Burma to spend several days promoting ties between the two allied countries’ armed forces, Chinese state media said on Monday.

The ships from the People’s Liberation Army Navy docked at Rangoon’s Thilawa port on Sunday afternoon and will launch a series of exchanges with Burma’s navy, to be held over a period of five days, Xinhua news agency reported.

The warships, which Xinhua said were welcomed with a “grand ceremony”, have arrived as Burma prepares for its first election in twenty years on 7 November, which has been widely criticised by activists and the West as a sham.

While numerous Western nations direct sanctions at Burma, which has been under military rule since 1962, China is the junta’s key ally, trading partner and an eager investor in the isolated state’s sizeable natural resources.

The Asian economic powerhouse has long helped keep Burma afloat through trade ties, arms sales, and by shielding it from UN sanctions over rights abuses as a veto-wielding, permanent member of the Security Council.

In return, China is assured of a stable neighbour and access to raw materials from Burma, such as teak and gems.