Junta claims China opposes anti-regime offensive in northern Shan State

By Admin 15 Aug 2024

15 August 2024, Sittwe
DMG Newsroom

After visiting Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi met junta boss Min Aung Hlaing in Naypyidaw on Wednesday, junta media quoted Wang as saying China opposes attacks by ethnic armed organisations on towns and villages in northern Shan State.

Wang also expressed China’s support for the junta’s five-point roadmap to restore peace, stability and economic development, as well as the junta’s proposed poll, junta media reported.

Political analyst U Than Soe Naing said: “Wang Yi may have said so when he met Min Aung Hlaing, but China may not do it as it says. It is just China’s two-tongue policy.”

Wang and Min Aung Hlaing vowed to further promote friendship and cooperation between the two neighbours, according to junta media.

In their reports about the meeting, the Chinese state-run media outlet Xinhua and the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar paraphrased Wang as saying: “China opposes chaos or conflict in Myanmar, opposes external forces interfering in Myanmar’s internal affairs, and opposes any remarks that attempt to sow discord in China-Myanmar relations or smear and vilify China.” 

Neither source said China opposes ethnic armed groups’ attacks on towns and villages in northern Shan State.

“Except for junta media, other sources did not say China opposes the EAOs’ [ethnic armed organisations’] seizure of towns and villages in northern Shan State. The regime invented it to put blame on armed groups operating in northern Shan State,” another political analyst offered. 

Wang said China is willing to deepen cooperation with Myanmar in various fields, including accelerating the implementation of major projects under its Belt and Road Initiative and the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor, and effectively operating the China-Myanmar oil and gas pipeline project, Xinhua reported.

Min Aung Hlaing said that he “will never allow any act that harms China’s security and interests,” according to Xinhua.