Myanmar must restore peace on China border

The increasing violence in Myanmar, however, poses a threat to China's national interests. It also is a test for Sino-Myanmarese ties. Just north of the 2,000-kilometer China-Myanmar border, Yunnan province has suffered more than once the consequences of the armed conflict in Myanmar. The five Chinese nationals killed on March 13 were residents of Yunnan, which has also been facing border security and trade problems. Also, humanitarian missions in Yunnan are facing challenges in accommodating refugees from Myanmar and relocating local residents.

Moreover, the mutual strategic trust between the two countries could fall prey to the conflict and resultant instability in Myanmar, and the Beijing-proposed China-Myanmar-India-Bangladesh economic corridor would be difficult to complete because it has to pass through the conflict zone. Confounding these problems are rumors unleashed by some media outlets that some Chinese military veterans are backing the Kokang rebel forces.

The truth, however, is that China has never intervened in Myanmar's internal affairs, let alone support any side at the expense of its own people's well-being. Instead, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei has urged the conflicting parties in Myanmar to "take China's concerns seriously" and exercise restraint in order to restore peace and order along the border.

To end the violence along the border, the governments of China and Myanmar, along with the latter's rebel forces, have to negotiate a truce that would require all forces to retreat from the front to re-accommodate the refugees. Besides, the results of the joint investigation into the bombing that killed the five Chinese nationals should be made public so that measures can be taken to prevent similar tragedies. The most urgent task, therefore, is for the Myanmar government and rebels to end the conflict by resolving their differences.

The author is an associate professor at the Institute of South Asia, affiliated to China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations.