A new round of China-brokered peace talks between the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) and the regime in Naypyidaw, which seized power after the 2021 coup, went into its second day in Kunming, China, on Monday.
A ceasefire was signed in China on Jan. 11 between the military and the Brotherhood Alliance, which consists of the MNDAA, the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), and the Arakan Army (AA), following its rapid success on the battlefield in northern Shan State after the launch of Operation 1027 on Oct. 27, 2023.
The ceasefire failed when the military resumed airstrikes against areas under the control of the MNDAA and the TNLA in northern Shan State, with full-scale fighting resuming on June 25, which has been dubbed by anti-regime groups as Operation 1027 Second Wave.
During this period, from Jan. 11 to June 25, the AA never ceased its offensive against the military for control of Arakan State, which it launched on Nov. 13, 2023. The AA now controls 12 townships in Arakan and one in southern Chinland. Voice of America (VOA) reported on Saturday that the AA met with Chinese officials in Tengchong, China, on Dec. 1.
Unverified reports from the peace talks in China on Monday stated that the regime has demanded the return of detained senior military leaders and the town of Lashio in northern Shan State, which was seized by the MNDAA when it took control of the Northeastern Regional Military Command (RMC) headquarters on Aug. 3.
The new round of China-brokered peace talks come amid Beijing’s pressure on ethnic armed groups in northern Myanmar to engage with the regime. It called on the MNDAA and the TNLA to engage in dialogue with the regime on Dec. 4. The MNDAA declared a unilateral ceasefire with the regime on Dec. 3.
Many Myanmar-China political analysts believe that peace talks are being planned separately by Beijing for the regime to meet with the TNLA and the AA. TNLA spokesperson Tar Bhone Kyaw told DVB that its meeting with the regime would depend on the outcome of the current talks with the MNDAA. The TNLA announced that it was ready for dialogue on Nov. 25.
