The great game: Myanmar bombed China

[Samar Rathi]

China threatens 'decisive' response after Myanmar bombing

Rebel soldiers of Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) gather at a military base in Kokang region, March 11, 2015.
(Reuters) - China's military will take "decisive" measures if there is a repeat attack by Myanmar forces on its territory, a senior military officer said after a bomb from a Myanmar aircraft killed four people.

Myanmar government forces have been battling rebels on the border with China since last month and China has urged Myanmar to "lower the temperature".

But Myanmar denied that any bomb from its forces had fallen in China and said the rebels might have fired into China to create "misunderstanding". The rebels do not have aircraft.

China's air force has dispatched planes to patrol the border and step up protection of its airspace. Beijing has also summoned Myanmar's ambassador to complain about the bombing.

Fan Changlong, who is a deputy head of the powerful Central Military Commission, said Myanmar air force aircraft had crossed the border "many times" recently, China's defense ministry said in a statement late on Saturday.

"The Myanmar side must recognize the seriousness of the issue, seriously deal with this incident, punish those who caused the trouble, apologize and pay compensation to family members, and explain themselves to China," Fan was cited as telling Myanmar's military in an emergency telephone call.

Myanmar must take strict steps to rein in its armed forces to ensure no repeat of such incidents, he said.

"Otherwise, China's military will take resolute and decisive measures to protect the lives, property and security of China's people," Fan said, without elaborating.

Speaking at his annual news conference on Sunday, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said that the government had the ability and responsibility to "firmly defend" the stability of the border.

Tens of thousands of people, many of them ethnic Chinese, have fled the fighting in northeastern Myanmar's Kokang region into China.

Myanmar has said Chinese mercenaries were fighting with the rebels, and it has urged China to cooperate to prevent "terrorist attacks" being launched from Chinese territory.

China has denied that any attacks into Myanmar have been launched from its territory.

The rebels are from a group called the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), which is led by ethnic Chinese commander Peng Jiasheng.

The MNDAA was formed from remnants of the Communist Party of Burma, a powerful China-backed guerrilla force that battled the Myanmar government until it splintered in 1989.

The group struck a truce with the government which lasted until 2009, when government troops took over their region in a conflict that pushed tens of thousands of refugees into China's Yunnan province.

China and Myanmar share a 2,000 km (1,250 mile) border, much of it remote and hard to access.

China threatens 'decisive' response after Myanmar bombing | Reuters

 

[Samar Rathi]

China sends patrol jets after Myanmar cross-border bombing kills four

The Chinese military deployed fighter jets to patrol the country's border with Myanmar after a cross-border bombing killed four Chinese villagers and left nine injured. Beijing warned its neighbor of "decisive action" if the incident is repeated.

The jets will "track, monitor, warn and chase away" Myanmar military planes, Chinese Air Force spokesman Shen Jinke was quoted by Xinhua news agency as saying.

Myanmar's ambassador to Beijing, Thit Linn Ohn, was summoned to the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Friday, as Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin lodged a formal protest and demanded a thorough investigation into the incident, the agency reported.

Liu called on the Myanmar authorities to "safeguard the security and stability in the border areas between China and Myanmar."

China will take "firm and decisive action" to protect the safety of its people if any further deadly stray fire incidents should happen, Fan Changlong, vice chairman of the China Central Military Commission, said Saturday in a phone conversation with Min Aung Hlaing, commander-in-chief of the Myanmar Defense Services. Fan also demanded that Myanmar should punish the perpetrator severely, apologize to and compensate the bereaved families, and inform the Chinese authorities of the result, China Military Online reports.

On Friday, Myanmar's warplane bombed a sugarcane field near Lincang city in China's southwestern Yunnan province, Xinhua reported.

However, the Myanmar government denied its involvement in the incident after receiving data provided by the Chinese.

"The GPS data, radar information and ground information all show our planes did not enter those areas as they had claimed," Zaw Htay, director of the President's Office, told Kyodo News, the Bangkok Post reported. He added that further meetings with Chinese officials will be held.

The Myanmar military are fighting ethnically Chinese Kokang rebels in Shan state, with the violence occasionally spilling across the border. Earlier this week a shell hit a house on the Chinese side of the border while on March 8 another house was destroyed by a Myanmar bomb.

The conflict between Kokang guerrillas and the Myanmar government has been ongoing for decades. The latest ceasefire was agreed to in 1989, but sporadic hostilities resumed in 2009.

The current flare-up began last year and escalated in February, with violence focusing on the Kokang town of Laukkai. An estimated 30,000 people have fled across the border in recent weeks.

http://rt.com/news/240701-china-myanmar-border-clashes/

 

[SADAKHUSH]

Let us see if escalates it or cools down. The theory of "String of Pearls" is falling apart. Can CCP send me one of the pearl for collection purpose only?

 

[Illusive]

Well, add another enemy to the Chinese list. This is a lesson for India too, never let your guard down even against smaller nations, because its an embarrassment when you're caught napping.

 

[ezsasa]

Is n't it interesting that unless you see the map, you don't realise that the Burmese plane ventured 100km into chinese territory and bombed. Going into some other country a 100 km cannot be a coincidence is it?

 

[Illusive]

Has India or any other nation condemned this action, cause if not then it should. Innocent civilians died, imagine if the reverse had happened.

 

[SADAKHUSH]

I hope they learned the lesson that "Karma" holds true for individuals and for nations as well. It is time to stop interfering in the internal affairs of your immediate neighbour's and stop your games in South China sea. At the same time stop using proxy's as well. It is going to come back to bite you in the rear.

 

[amoy]

Don't get how the ungrounded excitement of some posters came about.

The mishaps aside, clashes within Myanmar btwn the junta and minority groups in fact enhance China's mediatory role as side effects. Previously peace talks were held in a Chinese border town btwn Kachin rebels and Naypyitaw under the auspices of China. This incident would push Chinese further to strip off the veneer of no intervention in neighbors' internal affairs.

Hopefully China will continue to press the military junta for political solutions with insurgencies in the mountainous north rather than by force to avoid the spill-over into China. The string of pearls will be polished as a result of deeper penetration of Chinese by brokering the peace process.

Every cloud has silver linings.

~~Still waters run deep. ~~from my MiPad using tapatalk

 

[t_co]

Let us see if escalates it or cools down. The theory of "String of Pearls" is falling apart. Can CCP send me one of the pearl for collection purpose only?

The String of Pearls was a theory put together by Booz Allen Hamilton, a US consulting firm / think tank. It was never official Chinese policy.

 

[t_co]

Well, add another enemy to the Chinese list. This is a lesson for India too, never let your guard down even against smaller nations, because its an embarrassment when you're caught napping.

China's response won't be to make Myanmar an enemy. China's goal is to make the Kokang and other ethnic groups a part of Myanmar's supposedly democratic parliament, and have the military junta waste their energy fighting Aung San Suu Kyi. Then, when the time is right, China becomes a kingmaker. Until then, the two sides can do business.

 

[SADAKHUSH]

The String of Pearls was a theory put together by Booz Allen Hamilton, a US consulting firm / think tank. It was never official Chinese policy.

Why would he come up with this term unless there is an evidence to back his theory? I hope you will also agree with that game of denial is the habit of Chinese regime and it is not going to change in the foreseeable future. Just keep the records of your CCP/PLA failure in foreign policy than we will talk in one years time.

 

[tarunraju]

My HYD-HKG flight flies over this exact region of Burma, and enters China via Yunan, going over Kunming.

 

[t_co]

Why would he come up with this term unless there is an evidence to back his theory?

Possibly because he got maritime trade and a naval expansion confused? Plenty of Chinese trade crosses the IOR but China's naval presence there is minimal.

I hope you will also agree with that game of denial is the habit of Chinese regime and it is not going to change in the foreseeable future. Just keep the records of your CCP/PLA failure in foreign policy than we will talk in one years time.

There is no 'failure' in Chinese foreign policy in the IOR. Pakistan still exists, Sri Lanka is unified under a Sinhalese government, and Myanmar's military junta is still on China's payroll - and Chinese trade still dominates the region. Of course, India could try changing those facts, but then China could just apply pressure on India via global climate change discussions and Kashmir. Should India get even more antsy China could always finish its ABM shield, instigate an attack in India that looks like Pakistan did it and then watch the subcontinent burn while the 10-15 warheads India throws China's way get deflected.

 

[sorcerer]

Possibly because he got maritime trade and a naval expansion confused? Plenty of Chinese trade crosses the IOR but China's naval presence there is minimal.



There is no 'failure' in Chinese foreign policy in the IOR. Pakistan still exists, Sri Lanka is unified under a Sinhalese government, and Myanmar's military junta is still on China's payroll - and Chinese trade still dominates the region. Of course, India could try changing those facts, but then China could just apply pressure on India via global climate change discussions and Kashmir. Should India get even more antsy China could always finish its ABM shield, instigate an attack in India that looks like Pakistan did it and then watch the subcontinent burn while the 10-15 warheads India throws China's way get deflected.

If there is no failure in Chinas foreign policy..china wont lost Srilanka on grand scale. ALso..Pak wont be used by US as and how it deems.

Global climate change is applicable to China too.
Kashmir...Zilch response from China...as you have East Turkestan and investment in Balochistan.( You know whats happening there) + China wants peaceful rise and fodder for its economy.

If CHina could make it look like Pakistan did..Thats the end of China's wet dream on military might.

If China misbehaves...CHina will be flanked by US and its allies and your under experienced military will be in ruins.

 

[tarunraju]

Will China's Koko Island and Kyaukpyu bases in Burma buckle?

Also, here's why we should drop everything and appease Maldives; and either appease or crush Sri Lanka (can't maintain the status-quo).

 

[SADAKHUSH]

Possibly because he got maritime trade and a naval expansion confused? Plenty of Chinese trade crosses the IOR but China's naval presence there is minimal.



There is no 'failure' in Chinese foreign policy in the IOR. Pakistan still exists, Sri Lanka is unified under a Sinhalese government, and Myanmar's military junta is still on China's payroll - and Chinese trade still dominates the region. Of course, India could try changing those facts, but then China could just apply pressure on India via global climate change discussions and Kashmir. Should India get even more antsy China could always finish its ABM shield, instigate an attack in India that looks like Pakistan did it and then watch the subcontinent burn while the 10-15 warheads India throws China's way get deflected.

This is new term for failure that he got confused. I did not mention Maritime trade. My reference was and is about your Navy. I hope it clears my point of view. China's Naval presence was on upward trajectory and has forced PLA/CCP to rethink her future moves and that is a fact. Just admit it instead of diverting the discussion to unrelated issues. If it was only maritime trade that country does not bring their submarines to the ports of their neighboring countries.

We all know the state of affairs in Pakistan. Sri Lanka unification has no negative effect on Indian foreign policy but it is positive turnaround for us. Do you write the cheques for Myanmar Government? If not than stop dreaming. You are dreaming about applying pressure on the global climate change and Kashmir issue. That is not China's business. Every time Pakistan made a move they got kicked between their legs. They are mad as hell for losing in every war. If you want to instigate attack than there is price to pay as well.

 

[Compersion]

Wonder if there is a analysis on the role of Non-State Actors here ... the bomb also was not near the border it was inside the territory of PRC apparently.

Also Myanmar moved its capital (in a huge massive exercise) because a astrologer predicted it would be safer to move to a new capital (possible earth quake) and also it would be good for development and growth - wonder what such astrologer(s) can make the country leaders think about the border with PRC and in dealing and getting close with nations for its peace and development and security. Sometimes the reasons are serious and sometimes like people say there is a silver lining in the clouds.

(Bhutan reference)

 

[amoy]

What's the silver lining? IMO it's opputune for China to fine-tune her geostrategy towards the immediate neighbours like Myanmar of vital importance.

Myanmar military junta's misconducts have wreaked havoc in the border areas on both sides. Tens of thousands of refugees have flooded Yunnan Province, this time Kokangs of Chinese affinity, in addition to many many Rohingyas in previous conflicts ! These Rohingas are reported to provide a human trafficking corridor for Uyghur terrorists. Don't forget last terror attacks at the Kunming rail station!

Such humanitarian disasters plus security risks shall encourage Chinese to get involved more actively in Myanmar's internal affairs as a stakeholder instead of a bystander.

China grapples with refugee influx from Myanmar - Al Jazeera English

A refugee camp along the border

 

[DingDong]

Time for India to step in and protect the sovereign rights of a resource-rich country? China seems to have been providing sanctuary to the Myanmar anti-government groups like it has been providing shelter and ammunition to the terror groups operating in the NE states of India. If the Myanmar experiment of China is allowed to succeed it will be having serious consequences for us in NE.

If China tries to intervene in Myanmar's internal matters, India must let Myanmar know that the help is just around the corner.

 

[Ray]

What's the silver lining? IMO it's opputune for China to fine-tune her geostrategy towards the immediate neighbours like Myanmar of vital importance.

Myanmar military junta's misconducts have wreaked havoc in the border areas on both sides. Tens of thousands of refugees have flooded Yunnan Province, this time Kokangs of Chinese affinity, in addition to many many Rohingyas in previous conflicts ! These Rohingas are reported to provide a human trafficking corridor for Uyghur terrorists. Don't forget last terror attacks at Kunming railstation!

Such humanitarian disasters plus security risks shall encourage Chinese to get involved more actively in Myanmar's internal affairs as a stakeholder instead of a bystander.

China grapples with refugee influx from Myanmar - Al Jazeera English

A refugee camp along the border

Rohingyas have taken refuge in China?

That is news.

Whatever, it is China sovereign right to react to bombing by Myanmar in China's territory to react.

I don't think anyone can deny that.

However, given China's close relationship, I am sure it will be solved by dialogue. China should not support the ethnic Han in Myanmar and Myanmar should be more receptive to Chinese sensitivity there.

Is that a Chinese National Flag at the refugee camp or a Myanmar flag.

If it is Chinese, then it shows the Chinese influence and lack of Myanmar's control.