By Xue Li
The history of the Kokang conflict, and what China can do to help solve it.
In February, armed conflict broke out again in Kokang, displacing 100,000 people from their homes. While most fled to relatively safe places in Shan State, or other neighboring states in Northern Myanmar, tens of thousands fled to China. In its hostilities with the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), the Myanmar military has relied more on air strikes than in the past. Myanmar fighter planes have sometimes also crossed over into Chinese airspace. For example, a fighter plane dropped bombs inside the Chinese border on March 13, killing five people and wounding eight. Faced with public outrage, China responded with tough rhetoric.
With large numbers of refugees crossing the border and citizens getting injured or killed, the conflict cannot be solved through usual diplomatic means. Chinese citizens are demanding that China adopt stronger measures in response, but China has yet to resort to a military solution. Its response has included the reinforcement of border controls, negotiations with the Myanmar government, and involvement in the seventh round of ceasefire negotiations. What should China do next? To answer this question, we need to carefully review the history and current state of affairs in Kokang.
Read the full story at The Diplomat