China pledges support for next Myanmar government regardless of winner
By Aung Shin | Monday, 26 October 2015
Chinese President Xi Jinping (right) shakes hands with President U Thein Sein in Beijing on September 4. Photo: EPA
During an interview at a media forum in the Chinese capital last week, Sun Haiyan, director general of the international department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, said China’s relations with Myanmar would remain unchanged.
“We will support any government, whoever wins the election,” she said.
The media forum was a sideline event of the International Conference of Asian Political Parties.
The conference was called to help promote China’s
ambitious Silk Road Economic Belt and
21st Century Maritime Silk Road initiative. Attention was also focused on the Chinese-founded Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.
A total of 57 countries, including Myanmar, have
applied to become founder members. Myanmar will pay US$264.5 million over 10 years as its contribution. Despite widespread interest in the region and beyond, the bank has aroused scepticism in some quarters, with the United States, Japan and Canada refraining from participation.
No Myanmar political parties attended the Beijing conference last week due to the event’s proximity to the November 8 election.
“We invited both the ruling party and the opposition to send representatives, but they said they could not come because of the election,” said Ms Sun.
The once-close relations between Myanmar and its giant neighbour
have appeared to cool since the emergence of a new government in Nay Pyi Taw in 2011 and its engagement with the broader international community, especially the United States, Europe and Japan. Within Myanmar,
Chinese investments have encountered public opposition, prompting speculation that Beijing might be reconsidering its attitude to Myanmar.
In 2011,
President U Thein Sein ordered the suspension of the
controversial Myitsone dam project in Kachin State amid accusations that the huge hydropower project was having a
damaging environmental and social impact.
Local residents have also
staged repeated protests against the
Letpadaung copper mine near Monywa, Sagaing Region,
sparking a violent responsefrom the Myanmar government, including the
shooting of unarmed demonstrators and the
alleged use of white phosphorous against protesting monks.
Another controversial Chinese project is the
natural gas and crude oil pipeline linking Kyaukpyu in Rakhine State to the Chinese border. Opposition from local people and organisations arose over land compensation and other environmental and social issues.
Since February this year,
fighting has occurred between the Tatmadaw and
ethnic Chinese Kokang insurgents near the border. China launched an official complaint and
deployed military aircraft and troops to the border region after Tatmadaw artillery
shells fell on Chinese territory, causing casualties among Chinese citizens.
If China’s relations with Myanmar are age-old, its interest has been renewed in the light of its southern neighbour’s growing strategic importance as a regional hub. Beijing is concerned to ensure that its intentions and positions are properly understood.
“There are problems on both sides,” said Ms Sun. “Some Chinese companies are not behaving well, and our government is training them in the exercise of greater social responsibility.”
Other experts agree that the need for Chinese companies investing in Myanmar to behave more responsibly is a major concern.
“You could criticise the bad behaviour of some Chinese businesses. They don’t do enough even in their own country. They don’t pay enough attention to environmental protection,” said Yang Rui, host of CCTV English Section, who served as a panellist in one of the media forum discussions.
Since Myanmar’s transition got under way, China has sought to maintain close political ties to the government and the Union Solidarity and Development Party, with regular exchanges and reciprocal visits taking place.
But last June, Chinese President Xi Jinping also
invited National League for Democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to Beijing for talks. It was the first time that China had extended such an invitation to an opposition leader from Myanmar.
China also invited U Aye Maung, chair of the
Arakan National Party(ANP), to visit in July, apparently to hedge its bets in its dealings with a future Myanmar whose political complexion was changing in unpredictable ways.
In addition to protecting its investments, another motive could have been to resolve misunderstandings at a time of
rapid and dynamic change in Myanmar. China is talking to representatives of diverse forces and learning how to cope with different voices so as to be able to maintain a steady, healthy and sustainable dialogue between the two governments.
Mr Yang said he believed China is quietly acting to position itself in Myanmar so it can weather any future political changes.
“We hope for a genuine process of national reconciliation in Myanmar. And we hope that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will play a positive and more powerful role in the future.”