The visit of Aung San Suu Kyi to Beijing this week illustrates a new willingness among Chinese leaders to engage with opposition figures in other countries, part of a new and more nuanced foreign policy to better protect China’s interests abroad.

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She nevertheless stands to wield considerable influence if her party dominates the polls, according to Sun Yun, an expert in Myanmar-China relations at the Stimson Center in Washington.

“From the Chinese perspective, not having a relationship with Aung San Suu Kyi is a problem,” Ms. Sun said. “They need to figure out if she’s going to do damage to China’s interests in Myanmar, or whether she’s going to be conducive.”

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