5 years and 1 election later, why China’s Myanmar dilemma still isn’t over
5 years and 1 election later, why China’s Myanmar dilemma still isn’t over
Why China’s Myanmar dilemma still persists, 5 years and 1 election later
Old concerns about stability and security linger as other big players vie for sway over Myanmar’s rare earth bounty and strategic location.
Early in 2021, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Myanmar’s capital Naypyidaw and held talks with both General Min Aung Hlaing, the chief of the armed forces, and Aung San Suu Kyi, the de facto leader of the civilian government. The meeting was a chance for China to voice support for Myanmar’s “national conditions” development path and signal China’s long-term pragmatic approach to ties with its southwestern neighbour, irrespective of who was in power. That strategy, however, came under...