Myanmar Residents Protest Against China's Intrusion in Region

Naypyidaw, March 21 (NationPress) Residents of Lashio in Myanmar, who have been displaced due to the conflict between the Junta and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), are urging China to cease its involvement in the nation’s internal matters.

The community is organizing a 'silent protest' against the forthcoming talks brokered by China, which aim to mediate discussions between the Junta and the MNDAA, and are distributing flyers to raise awareness about Beijing’s escalating interference in Myanmar.

One protester told the media outlet Irrawaddy, “Lashio residents do not want the rebels to surrender their town to the regime. The upcoming talks are expected to focus primarily on Lashio. People here don't want to live under the military regime again. Under the MNDAA administration, they feel safe and free. That's why they want the troops to stay.”

Another protestor stated, “We are calling on China, as a foreign country, to respect the Myanmar people's sovereignty. China's support for the Junta only harms the people. We demand that the Chinese government stop assisting the military regime.”

Many residents fled following the MNDAA and allied forces’ offensive in July of the previous year. Subsequently, the MNDAA established its governance in Lashio, reinstating telecommunications, supervising reconstruction efforts, and delivering healthcare. However, reports indicate that China has closed its borders with MNDAA-controlled areas and detained its leaders to compel the ethnic army to halt its resistance against the regime.

In January, the ethnic army entered into a ceasefire with the regime during the seventh round of China-mediated discussions held in Kunming, as stated by the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

China's presence in Myanmar has been increasing due to its close ties with the military Junta. A prominent expert on security issues in Southeast Asia expressed her concerns regarding the growing assertiveness of China in the region.

Miemie Winn Byrd, a security analyst from the Asia Pacific Centre for Security Studies (APCSS), remarked that the involvement of Chinese security firms in Myanmar under the military Junta's private security regulations poses a significant risk of transforming the nation into a “client state.”

Byrd emphasized, “These Chinese firms, therefore, can manipulate both political and economic spheres of Myanmar, and further, the sovereignty of the country can be compromised.” In an extensive interview with Irrawaddy, she accused the current regime of trading with Chinese companies for immediate benefits, noting that Myanmar's strategic location presents China with an alternative route to mitigate their Malacca dilemma.

According to Byrd, “80 percent of China's oil imports pass through the Malacca Strait, making them vulnerable during conflicts. They are seeking alternative routes to circumvent the Malacca Strait, and Myanmar presents a viable solution. An increased presence in Myanmar would enable them to assert dominance in the Indo-Pacific.”