An armed ethnic group has been accused of attacking a vehicle convoy carrying Chinese military personnel, according to the Myanmar junta on Saturday. The Chinese convoy was travelling to a meeting on border security when the alleged attacks took place.
“We can confirm that (Kachin Independence Army) (KIA) members attacked the convoy,” junta spokesman Zaw Min Tun was quoted as saying by AFP.
The vehicle carrying Chinese military representatives and Myanmar counterparts was on its way to Myitkyina in northern Kachin state when it came under heavy fire. According to the junta, a vehicle, second in line was shot five times but fortunately, no one was wounded or killed.
The rebels (KIA) have denied the claims. “KIA did not attack any convoy,” KIA colonel Naw Bu told AFP.
The 973-km pipeline runs from the Rakhine coast to southern China and was constructed in 2011 and began operations in July 2013. It passes through Magwe, Mandalay regions, and Shan state to China’s Yunnan province.
Following the Chinese FM visit, anti-Chinese protests were held across Myanmar with some protesters burning the Chinese flag.
Notably, Beijing is one of the most prominent investors in Myanmar, especially in the mines, oil and gas pipelines, and infrastructure projects, which gives it access to the Indian Ocean.
Myanmar in perennial chaos
Since the military removed Myanmar’s democratically elected National League for Democracy (NLD) in 2021 and overthrew Aung San Suu Kyi, the top leader has been forced to change her position on non-violence.
The country’s parallel National Unity Government (NUG), formed out of the ashes of NLD, has established the People’s Defence Force (PDF) which is responsible for training civilians to fight alongside established ethnic armed groups. Armed ethnic minority groups such as the Karenni, the Karen and the Kachin are part of this group.
More than 3,700 people have been killed in the military’s crackdown on dissent since the coup, according to a local monitoring group. Meanwhile, more than 23,000 have been arrested during the same period.
(With inputs from agencies)
