Anti Dictatorship in Burma, a Washington, DC-based group of exiles and refugees from Burma living in the U.S., staged a protest in front of China’s embassy on Friday. They are demanding that Beijing stop its attempts at meddling in Burma’s affairs and stage managing an election in 2025 under the military regime.
“China is trying to control the dictators in Burma for their own interests, and trying to shape things as they please. [They] must understand that this approach can no longer continue. China needs to change its policy to align with the public interest,” said Yin Aye, a spokesperson from Anti Dictatorship in Burma.
The Communist Party of China invited representatives from four political parties in Burma to attend “field studies” in Yunnan and Qinghai, as well as to “exchange views with Chinese experts on rural development and the Belt and Road Initiative” from July 20 to July 27.
Seventeen representatives from the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), the People’s Party (PP), the Arakan Front Party (AFP), and the Shan and Ethnic Democratic Party (SEDP) were invited to China to “strengthen the relationship” between the neighbouring countries.
A delegation led by regime deputy Soe Win attended the Green Development Forum of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on July 8-9. This was the first visit by a senior regime official to China since the 2021 military coup.
“They were welcomed at Qingdao Airport by Myanmar Ambassador to China Tin Maung Swe, Deputy General Secretary Ms Lin Bin of the Communist Party of China in Qingdao Municipal Region and officials,” regime media reported.
Burma’s former President Thein Sein attended the 70th anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence conference held in Beijing on June 28. He also met with China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi while in Beijing.
Min Aung Hlaing met with China’s Ambassador to Burma Chen Hai in Naypyidaw on July 4. During the meeting the two discussed “preparations for holding a free and fair multiparty democratic general election.” Chen Hai also announced that he had completed his tenure as China’s ambassador to Burma.
