By Satyaki Chakraborty
China gave a big welcome on Tuesday June 16 to the visiting Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing by endorsing the political leadership of the junta chief turned President through rigged elections in April this year. Chinese President Xi Jinping assured the Myanmar President of total political support to his government and took part in the signing of eighteen agreements between the two countries covering all important areas of the economy.
For Myanmar President, this was a moment of big diplomatic triumph on the second day of his five day visit to China. Ignored by the western nations and sidelined by the other developing countries for ousting the elected government in Myanmar in February 2021, President Hlaing was overwhelmed as the Chinese leaders told him during the talks that China would expand the bilateral ties and deepen comprehensive strategic cooperation.
President Hlaing visited India in May/June this year holding a meeting on June 1 with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Though a number of bilateral agreements were signed, India averted the issue of full diplomatic recognition to the newly elected Myanmar government. Though there were lot of protests from the human rights groups against the visit of President Hlaing to India, New Delhi ignored those since it was in India’s interests to improve economic and political relations with Myanmar. That way India is discussing economic opportunities with the neighbouring country while keeping a political distance.
But China had no such inhibitions from the beginning as the government went fully with the army junta led by Hlaing both before the elections and now more forcefully after the elections. Chinese leaders assured Myanmar President that Beijing would make all efforts to help the Myanmar government in unifying the democratic forces and ensure stability.
It was a big win for the army backed government. All the mainline opposition parties were banned from the last elections by the junta. International observers protested against the way the polls were conducted. The opposition forces are trying to unite and challenge the army regime. In such situation, China’s assurance to help the army government to ensure stability, is sure to encourage the Myanmar government to take on the opposition forces more brutally.
Myanmar President Hlaing was charged earlier for genocide. In fact, the human right group Myanmar for Justice questioned during Myanmar President’s visit to India how Indian government can host such a army general who was responsible for the killing of democracy in his country by ousting the democratically elected National Unity Government through February 2021 coup. Significantly, a petition has been pending in Indonesian Court accusing the Myanmar President for genocide.
As of now, no western nation including the USA has recognized the new Myanmar President, they have also not given any credibility to the election results, calling it a junta organized rigged elections.. China, on the other hand, gave credibility to the elections and even praised efforts of the newly elected regime for their efforts in ensuring peace and stability in Myanmar as also the regime’s keen interest in Belt and Road projects of China. The transactionist nature of Chinese diplomacy was apparent from the beginning after the junta coup in February 2021. China was interested in protecting its investments and the work on the China organized Belt and Road Projects. Chinese leadership ignored the civilian killings by the junta in the last five years since the coup.
As a result, Myanmar government is indebted to China for standing behind the army government without caring for the sanctions imposed by the western nations on Myanmar. Myanmar regime is confident of getting Chinese help in getting recognition from some of the African countries who are under China’s influence. President Hlaing during this current visit continuously thanked China for its support to the Myanmar rulers.
China observers say that Myanmar has big resources for minerals including critical minerals. China has a big interest in the development of these minerals in collaboration with Myanmar government. The critical minerals are the most sought after minerals these days. China has a big advantage in this area as against the USA. But the Chinese policy is to exploit the reserves of some other friendly countries to strengthen China’s position. Myanmar is considered as one such countries.
Indian policy makers have to assess the impact of this visit of Myanmar President to China and work out how to move to further expand the economic relations between both the countries. India can not allow Myanmar to be completely under domination by China though the task is quite tough as China is the competitor. But the breakthrough has to be made. How that is the question? (IPA Service)
