Burmese President Thein Sein has hailed a "new chapter" in relations with the US during talks with Hillary Clinton in the capital, Nay¹ Pyi Taw.

缅甸总统登盛在首都内比都与美国国务卿希拉里会谈时称，美缅关系进入了“新篇章”。

Hillary Clinton is the first secretary of state to visit Burma since 1955
Mrs Clinton, the most senior American to visit the country in half a century, told the president she was "encouraged" by recent policy changes.

The US maintains tight sanctions on senior figures in Burma's hierarchy²（等级制度） .

But a series of reforms this year has led to speculation³ that decades of isolation⁴ could be about to end.

However, US officials have stressed that there is unlikely to be any major announcements on sanctions during Mrs Clinton's trip.

Analysts⁵ say the US is more likely to consider symbolic⁶ gestures such as upgrading its mission in Burma to a full embassy.

Mrs Clinton's talks with Burma's leadership got under way on Thursday when she met Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin before the talks with President Thein Sein.

"I am here today because President Obama and myself are encouraged by the steps that you and your government have taken to provide for your people," Mrs Clinton told Thein Sein as the two sat down for talks.

Thein Sein said her visit would prove to be a "milestone⁷".

"Your excellency's visit will be historic and a new chapter in relations," he said before the start of the closed-door meeting.

BBC state department correspondent Kim Ghattas, travelling with Mrs Clinton, says the top US diplomat's visit is both a reward for the reforms that have already taken place and an incentive⁸（动机，刺激） for Burma's government to do more.

The US secretary of state said before the trip she was quite hopeful that "flickers⁹（闪烁，颤动） of progress" could transform into a real movement for change.

'No resistance'

Mrs Clinton is the first secretary of state to visit Burma since 1955.

The country was taken over by the military in 1962 and ruled by a brutal¹⁰ and unpredictable junta¹¹ until last year, when the army ceded¹²（放弃，割让） power to a nominally¹³ civilian¹⁴ government.

Although the government is still dominated by figures from the previous military regime, it has introduced several important reforms, and released groups of political prisoners.

The visit comes weeks after President Barack Obama toured Asia and made a series of announcements bolstering¹⁵ American commitments in the region.