Senior Chinese officials hold private talks with anti-junta Kachin organisation

Military sources have claimed that a private meeting began in China on Monday between the leadership of the Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO) and Chinese government officials. Among those attending the meeting were KIO chair Gen. N’Ban La, as well as La Nan and Gen. Gun Maw, respectively the general secretary and vice chief of staff of the Kachin organisation, the same sources said. While the attendees from China were not identified by name or title, the military sources claimed that at least one held a higher rank than special envoy Deng Xijun, usually the most senior Chinese official present at discussions with the Myanmar junta generals or Myanmar-based ethnic organisations like the KIO. While the matters discussed at the meeting are unconfirmed, they are likely to touch on the capture of junta bases on the Kachin State-China border in recent months by the KIO’s armed wing, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA’s), and the KIA’s escalating offensive operations against the Myanmar army. An area designated as Kachin Special Region 1—located in northeastern Kachin State on the Chinese border—is among the territories captured by the KIA in recent months from the military and junta-allied Border Guard Force militias. KIA-led forces completed their takeover of Kachin Special Region 1 last month. The region, which encompasses the towns of Chipwe, Tsawlaw, and Pangwa (Pang War), is an important source for lucrative rare earth minerals. China’s imports of rare earth minerals from Myanmar in 2023 reportedly amounted to more than twice the value of China’s domestic quota for rare earth mineral extraction that year. China has been trying to pressure the KIA, which also controls the border trade towns of Lwegel (Lweje or Loi Je) and Kanpaikti, to suspend offensives against junta forces for the sake of border security, order, and peace. As part of this effort, China has kept crossings on its border with Kachin State closed since October 18, effectively shutting down border trade. While fighting has subsided temporarily in other areas of Kachin State, intense battles are ongoing for control of the towns of Bhamo and Mansi in the southern part of the state. Since KIA-led forces launched an offensive against the military in March of this year, they have succeeded in capturing the town of Mabein in northern Shan State as well as more than a dozen towns in Kachin State: Sumprabum, Injangyang, Sadung, Chipwe, Tsawlaw, Hpi Maw, Pangwa, Dawthponeyan, Sinbo, Myo Hla, Momauk, Lwegel, and Kanpaikti. When reached for comment, KIA spokesperson Col. Naw Bu confirmed that KIO leaders were attending talks with Chinese government officials, but did not provide details about what they discussed.

Senior Chinese officials hold private talks with anti-junta Kachin organisation

Military sources said that the Chinese government sent at least one official of higher rank than Deng Xijun, the Chinese special envoy who usually attends meetings with junta generals and the leaders of Myanmar’s ethnic political organisations

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