China to Conduct Live-Fire Military Drills Near Myanmar Border Amid Ongoing Conflict

China to Conduct Live-Fire Military Drills Near Myanmar Border

Beginning Tuesday, China is set to initiate live-fire military exercises close to its border with Myanmar, reinforcing its defenses against a neighbor grappling with ongoing civil strife that has persisted for more than three years. The People’s Liberation Army’s Southern Theater Command announced on Monday that the drills will occur in the southwestern province of Yunnan, aimed at evaluating the “joint strike capabilities of theater troops” and ensuring the security and stability of border areas.

This series of exercises, which are scheduled to last until Thursday, follows two similar drills conducted in April. The timing of these military maneuvers is particularly notable, as they come just days after a visit by China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, to Naypyidaw, the capital of Myanmar. During his visit, Wang reaffirmed China’s backing of the ruling military junta, which seized control in a coup back in 2021.

Analysts suggest that despite Wang’s overtures of support, these military drills serve a dual purpose. They appear to convey a message to the junta that China is advocating for a return to peace negotiations led by Beijing, urging the military to engage with rebel forces rather than escalate the ongoing conflict.

Myanmar, a nation of approximately 55 million people, has long been characterized by ethnic divisions. The recent resurgence of military control has plunged the country into deeper turmoil. The junta’s actions have resulted in thousands of fatalities and led to the detention of tens of thousands of individuals. The military has faced severe accusations of perpetrating atrocities and indiscriminately attacking civilians through airstrikes.

In response to the junta’s brutality, a formidable resistance movement has emerged, composed of both urban civilians who have taken up arms and seasoned insurgents from border regions who have been fighting for autonomy for decades. Collectively, these groups now control around two-thirds of Myanmar, primarily in the border areas, while the military junta retains control over the major urban centers located in the central lowlands of the Irrawaddy Valley.

Wang Yi’s recent reaffirmation of Beijing’s support for the ruling junta in Myanmar underscores the complexity of the situation, as China navigates its interests in the region amidst ongoing conflict.