22-12-2023 (BEIJING) China has called on Myanmar’s junta and an alliance of rebels to enact a temporary ceasefire agreement that it recently helped broker, aiming to halt clashes along the border.
During a regular press briefing in Beijing on Wednesday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin stated, “China hopes relevant parties in Myanmar can effectively implement what has been agreed, exercise maximum restraint, and work for a soft landing of the situation.”
Last week, China announced that, through its mediation efforts, the Myanmar government and an alliance of three rebel groups engaged in a conflict with the ruling junta since October had “reached agreement on a number of arrangements.” These arrangements included a temporary ceasefire agreement and ongoing dialogue.
Wang further revealed that the discussions leading to the agreement took place in Kunming, a southwestern city in China. The implementation of such a deal would be a significant diplomatic achievement for China, as it seeks to position itself as a peacemaker in global conflicts. However, its efforts have yielded mixed results thus far, with the Ukrainian peace blueprint making no progress since February, although China facilitated talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia in March to restore diplomatic ties.
Efforts to reach the junta and representatives of two rebel groups, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army and the Arakan Army, regarding the temporary ceasefire agreement were unsuccessful. A representative of the third group, the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), stated that they had no information about the agreement. The representative also noted that fighting continued as recently as Wednesday in Kutkai, a town in northern Shan State near the border with China.
Earlier this month, Myanmar’s junta announced that China was assisting in brokering discussions with the rebel alliance and that further talks were planned. Since launching an offensive on October 27, the alliance of rebel groups has claimed control over small towns, including a key trade hub on the border.
The conflict underscores the challenges faced by Myanmar’s junta in maintaining control over the country nearly three years after seizing power through a coup.
