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Fighters of the ethnic rebel group Ta’ang National Liberation Army walk down a street market in the town of Namhkam in northern Shan state on Friday. Photo: AFP
ChinaDiplomacy

China demands border security guarantee from Myanmar junta as rebels gain ground

  • Myanmese authorities urged to take ‘effective measures’ to ensure stability in the region
  • The administration in Naypyidaw is under pressure from forces on three fronts
Myanmar
Liu Zhen
Liu Zhen
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Myanmar must guarantee the safety and stability of its border with China, Beijing stressed on Tuesday, as the Naypyidaw junta lost ground to rebel groups in the country’s north.

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning repeated China’s “high concerns” over the conflicts in northern Myanmar.

“We urge the relevant parties in Myanmar to cease fighting as soon as possible,” Mao said in Beijing.

All parties should resolve differences peacefully through dialogue and consultation, she said.

“We also urge the Myanmar side to take practical and effective measures to ensure security and stability along the China-Myanmar border,” Mao said.

02:17

China's telecoms fraud crackdown with Myanmar may help workers trapped in scam rooms

China's telecoms fraud crackdown with Myanmar may help workers trapped in scam rooms

An alliance of three ethnic armed forces in Myanmar’s Shan State bordering China’s Yunnan province has launched offensives against the junta troops in the region, claiming “significant wins” in the past few days.

Since the conflict broke out on October 27, China has repeatedly asked for a ceasefire and assurance of border security. The Chinese embassy in Myanmar has also warned Chinese citizens to avoid travelling to conflict areas.

Beijing has pressured both the junta government in Naypyidaw and the self-ruled ethnic authorities of the border areas to crack down on criminal syndicates running massive telecoms scams, gambling, fraud, and human trafficking operations there.
Chinese police are also offering rewards of up to 500,000 yuan (US$68,500) for information leading to the arrest of several suspected syndicate heads in Shan state, some of whom also hold Chinese citizenship.

The rebel alliance says one of the objectives of its military operations is to eliminate “criminal syndicates protected by the junta”.

Telecoms scams and online gambling were on the agenda late last month when Chinese Public Security Minister Wang Xiaohong visited Myanmar and met General Min Aung Hlaing, chairman of the State Management Council of Myanmar.

Wang called for cooperation between the two countries’ law enforcement and security authorities to combat the criminal activity.
Members of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army pose for a photograph in October with weapons allegedly seized from a Myanmar army outpost on a hill in Chinshwehaw town, Myanmar. Photo: The Kokang online media via AP

The general said his government would protect Chinese citizens and their property in Myanmar.

The Myanmar junta government is facing its toughest challenge since seizing power in a coup in 2021.

In addition to the conflict in Shan state, fighting erupted on two new fronts this week – in the western states of Rakhine and Chin, where the rebel troops are seeking to take control of the border with India.

Myanmar’s military-appointed president, Myint Swe, said last Thursday the country was at risk of breaking apart due to the failure to deal with the insurgency more effectively.

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