There was also the issue of some groups in Shan state affiliated with the junta messing with Chinese citizens. Specifically, they were kidnapping them and using them as slave labour to run love scams. China told them to stop, the involved Shan families didn’t or didn’t completely.
Before that, they preferred the junta for obvious geopolitical strategic reasons. The Chinese are exactly the kind of nationalists that will cut off their nose to spite their face, though, so at this point they’re gladly feeding them to the rebels. What happens when the world’s youngest democratic nation is on their borders and a darling of the West is tomorrow’s problem.
The junta is not only being partly funded by China, they’ve condemned Western sanctions on the junta, while selling them arms.
It’s like they’re not really Marxists at all anymore.
Of course, they’re also linked to some rebel groups. One might say they’re playing both sides to make money off the conflict.
There was also the issue of some groups in Shan state affiliated with the junta messing with Chinese citizens. Specifically, they were kidnapping them and using them as slave labour to run love scams. China told them to stop, the involved Shan families didn’t or didn’t completely.
Before that, they preferred the junta for obvious geopolitical strategic reasons. The Chinese are exactly the kind of nationalists that will cut off their nose to spite their face, though, so at this point they’re gladly feeding them to the rebels. What happens when the world’s youngest democratic nation is on their borders and a darling of the West is tomorrow’s problem.