2-11-2023 (YANGON) Myanmar’s military has ceded control of a strategically vital town on the Chinese border after a series of confrontations with three ethnic armed factions, as confirmed by a spokesperson for the junta.
Over the past week, violent clashes have erupted across the northern Shan state of Myanmar. This region is significant as it’s a proposed location for a billion-dollar rail link under China’s Belt and Road global infrastructure initiative.
The Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), Arakan Army (AA), and Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) have asserted that they’ve captured several military outposts and crucial transportation routes linking Myanmar with its most significant trading partner, China.
Mr. Zaw Min Tun, in a statement released on Wednesday, declared that “Government, administrative organizations, and security organizations are no longer present” in the town of Chinshwehaw, which shares a border with China’s Yunnan province.
During the past six days, clashes have occurred at ten different locations within the Shan state. However, specific casualty figures were not provided. The junta spokesman accused the three armed groups of destructive actions, including the sabotage of power stations and transportation routes, without offering detailed information.
China has urged an “immediate” ceasefire, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin making the plea during a regular press briefing on Thursday.
It’s important to note that over a quarter of Myanmar’s border trade with China, valued at US$1.8 billion (S$2.46 billion) from April to September, passes through Chinshwehaw, as reported by the junta-controlled media in September, citing the commerce ministry.
On Monday, the MNDAA released footage claiming its occupation of Chinshwehaw. A resident of Hsenwi, approximately 90km from Chinshwehaw, reported hearing the sounds of fighting outside the town, even though there were no hostilities within the town itself. Internet access was unreliable, and thousands of individuals sought refuge in the town, with one resident requesting anonymity for security reasons.
The AA, MNDAA, and TNLA, collectively believed to have access to at least 15,000 fighters, have frequently clashed with the military over issues of autonomy and resource control. Both sides have reported casualties, with the military allegedly suffering losses in terms of wounded, killed, and captured personnel.
The United Nations has expressed concerns about the displacement of thousands of people, with some fleeing across the border into China.
On Tuesday, China’s Minister for Public Security, Wang Xiaohong, held a second day of talks in Naypyitaw with junta chief Min Aung Hlaing to discuss the clashes, as reported by Myanmar state media. These discussions centered on attacks by MNDAA targeting security installations and their impact on regional peace and stability, according to the Global New Light.
It’s worth noting that China is a key ally and a major arms supplier to the junta, and it has not recognized the junta’s power seizure in 2021 as a coup. China maintains ties with certain ethnic armed groups along its border with Myanmar, where ethnic Chinese communities use Chinese SIM cards and currency. Despite previous denials, reports of China supplying weapons to these armed groups have circulated.
