Myanmar military chief Gen. Min Aung Hlaing arrives in China

The Myanmar Army chief, Gen Min Aung Hlaing has begun an official tour to China on Tuesday 5th Nov 2024, for some regional engagements with China; Myanmar’s most important regional ally.

This is the first time Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing visited the neighbouring country after Myanmar’s Army overthrew the elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi in February this year.

Myanmar’s Army has been topped by the rebels in many warfare confrontations in the past year especially on battle fronts close to the Chinese territory. Myanmar’s current ruling generals and China’s government have both cause for worry as pro-democracy guerrillas and armed ethnic minority groups, in some cases hand in hand, have seized the initiative against the military regime within its borders.

Earlier there was no such rise into insecurity by Beijing but now it is afraid of insecurity that challenges its both strategic and business in Myanmar. Myanmar’s government has worked closely with China’s government, the ruling military that is ignored and blacklisted by most of the Western countries for the Army coup and huge erosions of human rights.

MRTV state television reported that Min Aung Hlaing flew out of the capital, Naypyitaw, on a flight on Tuesday morning (November 5, 2024) to commence the visit.

He will visit Kunming on Wednesday and Thursday (November 6 and 7, 2024) to attend three summits: The Greater Mekong Subregion, and CLMV Cooperation. Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province of China is just 400 km or 250 miles from the border of Myanmar.

The report said he would also have “parleys with Chinese authorities on improving relations and cooperation of both governments and people in economic and other fields”.

China is one of the principal suppliers of arms to Myanmar’s military to fight resistance factions, alongside Russia. Beijing is also Myanmar’s biggest trading partner of Myanmar and has invested billions of dollars into its mines, oil and gas pipelines, and more.

We learned that Russia is the only other foreign destination to which Min Aung Hlaing is known to have travelled since he seized power, except for an April 2021 ASEAN Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia. His government’s lack of participation in pushing for his nation’s peace mission was the reason to later barred from ASEAN meetings and other related meetings with the top Myanmar government leaders.

Myanmar’s pro-democracy Opposition is worried about Chinese welcoming a visit by Min Aung Hlaing.

Kyaw Zaw of the National Unity Government spokesperson, announced on a recorded video posted on the Facebook account before the official announcement of the trip that he deeply concern about China’s invitation to min Aung Hlaing and request the Chinese Government to review their action of inviting the guess.

Its people desire is stability, order, and prosperity while some of the organisations look forward to democracy in Myanmar for political reasons. These things are being dismantled by Min Aung Hlaing and his group, said Kyaw Zaw. “I am worried this will inadvertently create a misunderstanding of the Chinese government among Myanmar people.”

It is headed by the elected lawmakers who were excluded from the parliament in early 2021 and is affiliated with the National Unity Government, which used to have a friendly relationship with China as its partner Suu Kyi’s party NLD did. While most people cringe at China supporting the Army, the shadow government still exercises a lot of caution not to upset Beijing’s dominance in the area.

Myanmar’s Army has been pushed to the back foot since the end of last year when the country’s ethnic armed organizations gave it a drubbing in the northeast.

The Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, Arakan Army, and Ta’ang National Liberation Army known as the “Three Brotherhood Alliance” overwhelmed towns, military bases, and command centers in strategic cities near the Chinese border of northeastern Shan state. The operation was widely believed at that time to have the blessings of Beijing to curtail out-of-control organized crime incidents in the territory dominated by ethnic Chinese.

Beijing helped broker a cease-fire in January, but that fell apart in June when the ethnic rebel forces launched new attacks. China was displeased with the ongoing warfare, shutting down border crossings, cutting electricity to Myanmar towns, and taking other measures to discourage the fighting.

With inputs from agencies

Image Source: Multiple agencies

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