Chinese special envoy met with Myanmar military junta
Bangkok Desk, Sep 1 (EFE).- A special envoy of the Chinese government has paid a week-long visit to Myanmar, where he met with junta leader General Min Aung Hlaing, according to the Chinese foreign ministry.
Special Envoy for Asian Affairs Sun Guoxiang and Min Aung Hlaing exchanged views on the country’s political situation and cooperation in combating Covid-19 during a visit kept secret between Aug. 21-28, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wengbin said late Tuesday at a press conference.
Wang stressed that China “will work with the international community to play a constructive role in Myanmar’s efforts to restore social stability and resume democratic transformation at an early date.”
“We hope that all parties and groups in Myanmar will proceed from the long-term interests of the country and people, and seek a proper solution through political dialogue within the constitutional and legal framework,” he said.
Beijing showed its support for the five-point consensus reached between Myanmar and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which includes the junta’s commitment to end violence against civilians and the use of a mediator, but said Wang said it “opposes undue external intervention.”
The country has been plunged into a deep crisis since the Feb. 1 coup d’etat, which is rejected by most civilians, whose representation has been assumed by the so-called National Unity Government, made up of former parliamentarians and civil leaders close to deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
Wang did not report any contact between Sun and this shadow government.
Powers such as the European Union, the United States and the United Kingdom have in recent months announced sanctions against the military junta, whose security forces have engaged in a violent crackdown on civilians, causing more than 1,000 deaths since February.
China and Russia have become the junta’s only international links and have blocked attempts by the United Nations Security Council to impose an arms embargo.
Although at first the civil resistance to the military junta was peaceful, the relentless repression of the security forces sowed further discontent among opponents, some of who in recent months have taken up arms.
Many have received training with ethnic guerrillas, whose conflicts with the army have recently escalated and have displaced tens of thousands of people.
The junta justifies its coup alleging electoral fraud in the November polls, in which Suu Kyi’s party won by a landslide, and which have the backing of international observers.
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