China’s ruling Communist party knows how to deal with a military regime along with the pro-democracy armed forces reflecting the aspiration of common people and Beijing has played the tricks in Myanmar (also known as Burma/Brahmadesh). The giant neighbour remains supportive to various batches of military rulers in the southeast Asian country and at the same time Beijing ensures goodwill to many anti-junta ethnic armed outfits. But lately, Beijing’s increasingly overt alliance with the junta has been termed as an obstacle to Myanmar’s democracy by an umbrella forum of pro-democracy organisations working for the people of Myanmar. Progressive Voice in its recent weekly briefing also stated that in lending false legitimacy to the junta and aiding mass atrocity crimes, China’s sphere of influence over Myanmar’s affairs only reflects its neo-colonial agenda.
The Progressive Voice statement however affirmed that Beijing is placing a sure-to-lose bet on the collapsing junta against the people’s unprecedented nationwide and collective efforts to dismantle the military and establish a federal democracy. The forum cited the recent meeting of Myanmar junta chief Min Aung Hlaing with Chinese Premier Li Qiang on 6 November during his visit to the neighbouring country. The junta chief’s first high-profile visit coincided with his attendance at the two-day Greater Mekong Subregion summit in Kunming along with the representatives from Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. During a meeting with the junta leader, the Chinese Premier reiterated that Beijing supports Myanmar in advancing the political reconciliation and transformation. Li Qiang also stated that stability in northern Myanmar is crucial and China reaffirms the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Myanmar and strongly opposes any actions that harm the interests of Myanmar.
“China’s open support for the military junta shows its prioritization of own influence and interests over the lives and democratic aspirations of Myanmar’s 55 million people. This support goes beyond diplomatic handshakes and it directly worsens the already dire human rights and humanitarian crisis in Myanmar,” said Khin Ohmar of Progressive Voice, adding that in October 2024, China’s abrupt decision to close its border with Myanmar choked off essential supplies and vital lifelines for civilians and resistance forces alike. The closure has cut off the supply of food, medicine, and other critical resources, intensifying the people’s suffering particularly in northern border areas, stated the pro-democracy activist.
By enforcing this border lockdown, Beijing is directly aiding the junta, isolating Myanmar’s people from desperately needed resources, and leaving them more vulnerable to the junta’s brutality, she asserted. Moreover with the closure of its border, China has been effectively replicating a brutal tactic, cutting Myanmar’s people from access to basic and critical resources for their livelihood, in an attempt to pressure resistance forces to stop their fast-growing operations. China’s moves are unmistakably oppressive measures that prop up a junta that has no chance to win over the nationwide revolutionary forces and continues to commit mass atrocity crimes against the people.
The forum has rightly stated that being a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China is obliged to uphold international peace and security. Instead, its blatant support for the Myanmar junta undermines those responsibilities, enabling and endorsing the junta’s ongoing atrocities, including war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. Probably it’s time for the international community to look into this episode seriously and hold China accountable for the assaults against Myanmar’s people. Moreover Beijing should be prevented from operating its harmful policies and actions on Myanmar.
According to a dynamic human rights watchdog ALTSEAN-Burma, till 31 October 2024, Myanmar witnessed at least 38,315 armed clashes and attacks against civilians since 1 Feb 2021 military coup. There were at least 31,77,100 displaced people since the coup as the junta soldiers continued their violent crimes where thousands of Myanmar nationals have been killed and another few thousands sustain injuries. But the junta is slowly losing its space in the country even though its soldiers continue launching air strikes over the crowded towns & villages to terrorise the people. Within a year of ‘Operation 1027’, the junta had lost 85 towns (at least 2,500 important positions), where the ethnic groups and people’s defence forces emerged triumphant.
China needs to be prevented from playing its politics with the fate and aspirations of Myanmar’s native population, where another important neighbour India should also adopt a pragmatic initiative.
