China brokers talks in Myanmar between military junta and rebel groups that yield ‘positive results’

Representatives from Myanmar’s ruling military have met with three armed rebel groups involved in an ongoing anti-junta offensive, state media reported a junta spokesperson as saying on Monday.

The meeting was facilitated by China and there would likely be another such meeting by the end of this month, Zaw Min Tun said, according to MRTV’s Telegram channel.

“Myanmar’s National Unity and Peacemaking Coordination Committee met with representatives of MNDAA, TNLA and AA with the help of China,” he said, referring to the armed ethnic groups.

“Based on the development of the conversation, there is likely to be another meeting at the end of this month.”

China said on Monday that peace talks had yielded “positive results”.

“China is happy to see the parties to the conflict in northern Myanmar hold peace talks and achieve positive results,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said.

Beijing would “continue to provide support and facilitation to this end”, she added.

“We believe that the easing of the situation in northern Myanmar serves the interests of all parties in Myanmar and is conducive to maintaining tranquillity and stability along the China-Myanmar border,” Mao said.

It was unclear when or where the meeting took place and Zaw Min Tun did not elaborate on what was discussed.

Myanmar’s military, which seized power in a 2021 coup, is facing a fresh surge in fighting amid a coordinated offensive mounted by three rebel groups that have since late October managed to take control of several military posts and towns near the border with China in the north and in western states.

Representatives of the three rebel groups did not immediately respond to request for comment.

Last week the junta’s foreign minister met the deputy secretary of the Yunnan Provincial Party Committee in China’s Kunming, where they discussed “peace and stability along the border areas,” according to the Global New Light of Myanmar.

Myanmar’s junta wants China’s support. Analysts expect ‘cautious pragmatism’

Beijing is a major ally and arms supplier of Myanmar’s junta and has refused to label its 2021 power grab a coup.

The offensive by the alliance of ethnic minority armed groups has galvanised other opponents of the junta.

Clashes have spread to the east and the west of the country and forced more than half a million people to flee their homes, according to the United Nations.

Analysts say China maintains ties with ethnic armed groups in northern Myanmar, some of whom share close kinship and cultural ties with China and use Chinese currency and phone networks in the territory they control.

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Myanmar faces its biggest challenge yet to its rule amid recent setbacks in war with rebel groups

Myanmar faces its biggest challenge yet to its rule amid recent setbacks in war with rebel groups

Protesters gathered at a rare demonstration in Yangon last month to accuse China of backing the ethnic minority alliance, in what analysts say was a move sanctioned by junta authorities.

Beijing has expressed “strong dissatisfaction” over the clashes in Shan state, home to oil and gas pipelines that supply China and a planned billion-dollar railway link.