The president of military-ruled Myanmar has said that the country is at risk of breaking apart due to the mismanagement of recent violence in the border regions with China.
Comments from Myanmar
“If the government does not effectively manage the incidents happening in the border region, the country will be split into various parts,” Myint Swe, president of the State Administration Council (SAC), told a National Defence and Security Council meeting.
“It is necessary to carefully control this issue. As now is an important time for the State, the entire people need to support Tatmadaw (the military),” he further said.
Myint Swe’s comments were a reference to the many attacks on junta bases over the past few weeks.
Violence Against Military
The Myanmar junta, which seized power in a February 2021 coup, has been facing the biggest challenge to its authority. Revolutionary and ethnic armed forces have been attacking hundreds of junta bases in the north, northeast, northwest, and southeast of the country.
A new military offensive against the #Myanmar junta is bringing "a new level of energy to resistance forces," our @Jason_Tower79 tells @AJEnglish: https://t.co/c8FNeMdgc9
— U.S. Institute of Peace (@USIP) November 4, 2023
In the country’s northeast, the junta has lost control of some border trade towns with China. Beijing also confirmed this week that there had been Chinese casualties due to a military ordinance going over the border.
Tar Parn La, a spokesperson and deputy general of Ta’ang National Liberation Army– one of three groups forming the Brotherhood Alliance that led the operation– told the Guardian that the group had captured more than 100 military outposts. However, the claim has not been verified.
“We are dedicated to eradicating the oppressive military dictatorship, a shared aspiration of the entire Myanmar populace,” the alliance said.
Deteriorating Relations with China
The junta conceded last week that it had lost several towns, including the strategic border town of Chinshwehaw, next to China’s Yunnan province. More than a quarter of Myanmar’s $1.8bn worth of border trade with China passed through the town between April and September this year.
The continued violence has strained the junta’s relations with China. Earlier this week, Assistant Chinese Foreign Minister Nong Rong urged its neighbour to control the conflict at their shared border. “Myanmar is called on to cooperate with China to maintain stability along the China-Myanmar border,” he said.
The minister asked Myanmar to “earnestly ensure the safety of the lives and property of Chinese border residents and take effective measures to strengthen the security of Chinese personnel.”