Myanmar junta leader goes to China for first time since coup

Myanmar junta chief visits China amid regional tensions; meeting could redefine alliances and cooperation in Southeast Asia

The head of the military junta of Myanmar, Min Aung Hlaingwill travel to Chinahis main ally, this week, both countries reported on Monday, marking his first known trip since taking power in a coup in 2021.

A China is a major ally and arms supplier of the junta, and analysts point out that Beijing also maintains ties with ethnic armed groups from Myanmar that control territories along its border.

Some of these groups took territories from the junta in the north of the state of Shandisrupting traffic along a commercial highway vital to the China.

Min Aung Hlaing will travel to the city of Kunmingin the southwest of the country, on Wednesday, to participate in a two-day summit of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) — a group that includes China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam e Cambodia.

A statement from the military junta of Myanmar on Monday reported that Min Aung Hlaing “will meet and discuss with government authorities of the People’s Republic of China on friendship between the governments and people of the two countries, to develop and strengthen economic and multisectoral cooperation”.

The trip takes place at a time when the military of Myanmar face difficulties in repressing the armed resistance of several ethnic minority groups and the “Popular Defense Forces”, which rose up against the seizure of power.

A China also confirmed that the leader of Myanmar will participate in the summit.

“In a context of weakening global recovery and geopolitical turbulence, the need to strengthen unity and cooperation, and to focus on development and prosperity, is becoming more prominent,” said the spokeswoman for Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mao Ningon Monday.

“The Chinese side hopes… to maintain in-depth communication with all parties (and) promote regional interconnectivity, trade and investment,” she added at a regular press conference in Beijing.

The summit will be chaired by the Chinese Prime Minister, Li Qiangas reported Mao.

The relationships between Beijing e Naypyidaw were tested due to the junta’s failure to crack down on online scams at the borders of Myanmar targeting Chinese citizens.

The complexes were managed by citizens of the China and from other countries who were often trafficked and forced to work deceiving their compatriots in a sector that, according to analysts, is worth billions.

Analysts suggest that Beijing gave tacit approval to an offensive by an alliance of ethnic rebel groups in the state of Shanwhich the alliance said was launched in part to root out fraudulent complexes.

Min Aung Hlaing visited the Russia —another prominent supporter and defense contractor—several times since the coup, including a meeting with the president Vladimir Putin em 2022.

In August, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of China declared that Beijing supports the junta’s plan to hold new elections and return the country, devastated by conflict, to a “democratic transition”.

Opponents say the elections will be neither free nor fair, with many opposition parties banned and clashes taking place across much of the country.