China News
TRADE WARS
Myanmar junta chief visits key ally China
Myanmar junta chief visits key ally China
by AFP Staff Writers
Yangon (AFP) Nov 5, 2024

Myanmar's embattled junta chief arrived in China Tuesday -- his first reported visit since leading a coup in 2021 -- but analysts say the invitation is only a lukewarm endorsement from his key ally and could backfire.

Min Aung Hlaing was in the southwestern city of Kunming for a summit of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) -- a group including China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia -- starting Wednesday.

The junta shared photos of the senior general addressing a gathering of Chinese business leaders, and he is also expected to hold talks with officials.

When the military ousted Aung San Suu Kyi's elected civilian government in 2021, Chinese state media refused to describe it as a coup, preferring "major cabinet reshuffle".

China has stood by the junta since, even as others shun the generals over their brutal crackdown on dissent which opponents say includes massacring of civilians, razing villages with air and artillery strikes.

Richard Horsey, Crisis Group's senior Myanmar adviser, said Min Aung Hlaing had been lobbying for an official invitation ever since the coup, as a public show of support.

But Beijing has stressed the regional focus of the Kunming gathering, saying it wanted to consult "all sides" against "a background of a weakening global recovery and geopolitical turbulence".

"While this (invitation to the summit) still implies recognition as head of state, it does not have the same diplomatic weight as a bilateral invitation to visit Beijing," Horsey told AFP.

- Battlefield losses -

Ming Aung Hlaing's trip comes with the junta reeling from a devastating rebel offensive last year that seized an area roughly the size of Bosnia -- much of it near the border with China.

Analysts say Beijing is worried about the possibility of the junta falling and suspicious of western influence among some of pro-democracy armed groups battling the military.

Myanmar is a vital part of Beijing's trillion-dollar Belt and Road initiative, with railways and pipelines to link China's landlocked southwest to the Indian Ocean.

"Beijing has now made clear its intentions for the Myanmar military to succeed," said Jason Tower of the United States Institute of Peace.

China has been reluctant to give a clear show of official recognition since the coup, Crisis Group's Horsey said, but this may be changing.

"China has pivoted to greater support for the regime -- not because it is better disposed with the regime or its leader, but out of concern at a disorderly collapse of power in Naypyidaw," he said.

- Deep mistrust -

But the relationship is wracked by longstanding mistrust.

The junta's top brass are wary of China, insiders say -- stemming from Beijing's support for an insurgency waged by the Communist Party of Burma in the 1960s and 1970s.

China gave its tacit backing to last year's rebel offensive, military supporters say, in return for the rebels dismantling online scam compounds in territory they captured.

Those compounds were run by and targeting Chinese citizens in a billion-dollar industry and major embarrassment for Beijing.

But the rebels pushed further and in August captured the city of Lashio -- miles from the scam compound heartland and home to a regional military command.

The fall of Lashio, home to around 150,000 people to the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) was a step too far for Beijing, said Tower.

China has since cut electricity, water and internet services to the MNDAA's traditional homeland on the border with Yunnan province, a source close to the group told AFP.

A visit to China is "unlikely to resolve Min Aung Hlaing's internal troubles," said Tower.

"If anything, it could create new problems, as the general is likely to be perceived as making major economic and geo-strategic concessions to Beijing in exchange for Chinese assistance," he told AFP.

One demand from Beijing will be speeding up elections the junta has promised to hold, said Tower -- polls China's foreign minister announced Beijing's backing for in August.

Opponents of the polls say they will be neither free nor fair while clashes continues across the country and with most of the popular political parties banned.

Related Links
Global Trade News

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
TRADE WARS
Indonesian President Prabowo to visit China this week
Beijing (AFP) Nov 5, 2024
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto will visit China and meet leader Xi Jinping this week, both nations said Tuesday - his first foreign tour as he seeks a more prominent position for Jakarta on the world stage. The 73-year-old ex-general's state visit will take place from Friday to Sunday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said in a statement. Beijing said the visit would aim to "push China-Indonesia relations... to a new level". "China is ready to work with Indonesia to ... read more

TRADE WARS
Shenzhou XIX Crew Joins Tiangong Space Station for Crew Rotation

Three-person crew enters China's Tiangong space station

China's only woman spaceflight engineer in crew for 'dream' mission

China delivers scientific payloads from reusable satellite Shijian-19 to users

TRADE WARS
China export growth beats expectations with October surge

Dollar soars, bitcoin hits record, as Trump claims victory

China's premier 'fully confident' of hitting growth targets

US and China must 'get along', Xi tells Trump

TRADE WARS
TRADE WARS
Myanmar junta chief to visit China for first time since coup

NATO will 'stay united' whoever wins US election: Rutte

Japan and EU announce new defence pact

Indian and Chinese troops gift sweets at contested border

TRADE WARS
Small modular nuclear reactors may drive US energy and emissions progress

Framatome expands cybersecurity capabilities with acquisition of Allentis

Niger disputes French firm's uranium move

Germany to bury nuclear waste but toxic dispute unresolved

TRADE WARS
Musk amplifies conservative voices in liberal Silicon Valley

Latvia jails taxi driver for 7 years for spying for Russia

China confirms South Korean detained for alleged spying

US finalizes curbs on investing in Chinese tech

TRADE WARS
Small modular nuclear reactors may drive US energy and emissions progress

Framatome expands cybersecurity capabilities with acquisition of Allentis

Niger disputes French firm's uranium move

Germany to bury nuclear waste but toxic dispute unresolved

TRADE WARS
Sweden blocks 13 offshore wind farms over defence concerns

Sweden's defence concerned by planned offshore wind power

On US coast, wind power foes embrace 'Save the Whales' argument

Renewables revolt in Sardinia, Italy's coal-fired island

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.