Beijing dispatches team to supervise ceasefire in Myanmar’s Shan State
Beijing is flexing its muscles in Myanmar.
On Tuesday, China's foreign ministry (MoFA) confirmed that Beijing has dispatched a team to northern Myanmar to supervise the ceasefire it brokered in January between the country's military rulers and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA).
Some context: China initially took a hands-off approach to the civil war raging in Myanmar, standing by its oft-touted diplomatic principle of non-interference in other countries' "internal affairs."
- But since last year, it has taken a more hands-on approach – first pressuring military leaders and rebel groups to find a solution to scam centers, then hosting talks between the junta and various resistance groups.
Putting boots on the ground to enforce a ceasefire that it brokered marks a major step change in Beijing's approach to diplomacy.
Get smart: There are plenty of reasons why Beijing may be intervening – from border security to regional influence – but we suspect securing China's supply of rare-earth-rich ores is paramount.
- Myanmar supplies roughly a quarter of the ore that China imports for processing into rare earth elements (REEs).
- In recent months, Myanmar's ore exports have plummeted after rebels in Kachin State cut off trade.
Get smarter: As US-China competition over critical minerals heats up, China's incentives to ensure stability along key mineral trade routes are also evolving.