Myanmar wants a "regular relationship" with the United States, a senior official in the army-dominated country said Friday, days before a historic visit by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

"We have no regular relations between the United States and Myanmar. In reality, we want to have a regular relationship," said Thura Shwe Mann, the speaker of the lower house of Myanmar's parliament.

Former general Thura Shwe Mann, who is considered one of the most powerful men in the current regime, said Myanmar welcomed Clinton's visit, the first by a US secretary of state for 50 years.

Her trip comes in the wake of signs of change in Myanmar, which languished under military rule for decades before an election last year brought a nominally-civilian government to power.

The new administration has surprised many observers with a series of reformist moves, including holding talks with democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, passing a law giving workers the right to strike and releasing around 200 political prisoners.

"The road is open for better relations between the two countries," Thura Shwe Mann told reporters in the capital Naypyidaw, in his first-ever news conference.

"I think this visit is not only good for the two governments but also for people in the two countries and the world."

His comments came on the day that Suu Kyi's party took its first formal step towards a return to mainstream politics after years of marginalisation.

Washington, which maintains economic sanctions against Myanmar, has long called for a range of reforms, including dialogue with Suu Kyi and the release of political detainees.

US President Barack Obama, who has pursued a policy of tentative engagement with the isolated country, last week explained the decision to send Clinton.

After "years of darkness," Obama said, "we have seen flickers of progress in the last several weeks."

The US is also thought to be keen to boost its influence in Southeast Asia and to counter China's rise in the region.

But Thura Shwe Mann said stronger ties with America would not affect its relationship with its giant northern neighbour.

"There is no reason to have worse relations between Myanmar and China when Myanmar and US relations get better," he said.

Myanmar's rulers froze work on an unpopular Chinese-backed dam project in September, taking Beijing by surprise. But the country has since been keen to stress its commitment to its largest foreign investor.

In a statement this week, the US State Department said Clinton would "register support for reforms that we have witnessed in recent months and discuss further reforms in key areas, as well as steps the US can take to reinforce progress".

The top US diplomat will travel to Naypyidaw and Yangon from November 30 to December 2.