“Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) attacks on police stations on Aug. 25 left at least 59 of the militants and 12 security personnel dead. Since then, clashes between ARSA—deemed a terrorist organization by the government—and the Myanmar Army have devastated communities in the area.”
“China’s concerns over Rakhine State are related to interests in its One Belt One Road Initiative (OBOR), said political and ethnic affairs analyst U Maung Maung Soe.”
“Rakhine plays an important part in OBOR, as it is an exit to Indian Ocean and the location of planned billion-dollar Chinese projects—a planned economic zone on Ramree Island, and the Kyaukphyu deep-sea port, which has oil and natural gas pipelines linked with Yunnan Province’s Kunming.”
“The Myanmar government understands China’s concerns regarding the Kyaukphyu deep-sea port, but hopes that the Chinese government will provide help according to international norms in solving the Rakhine issue, presidential spokesperson of the Myanmar government U Zaw Htay told the press in April.”
“The UN Security Council convened a meeting after the recent attacks in Rakhine, where China continued to support Myanmar in resisting UN involvement in the ongoing crisis in Rakhine State.”
Read more: Chinese Special Envoy Meets Myanmar Vice President Over Rakhine Attacks
2021-week24
