Nick Johnston
On February 1st, 2021, the Myanmar military overthrew the sitting government and seized control of governing power. The coup followed a landslide election victory for pro-democracy candidate Aung San Suu Kyi and preceded the opening of the new parliament (Cuddy). She and other (previously) elected officials are currently under house arrest while General Min Aung Hlaing has taken the reins. The events fomented domestic unrest, as mass pro-democracy protests have erupted throughout the country. The political and social instability spells trouble for not only the legitimacy of Myanmar as a state, but also for other countries in the region. China, a growing superpower, stands the most to lose bearing further complications of its South-Western neighbor.
Photo via: Global News Trending Twitter, globalnews.ca
In recent years, China has taken aggressive actions to expand its authority. The country's desire to extend economic and military power throughout southeastern Asia has heightened tensions, most notably in the South China Sea. Authority over the ocean beyond territorial waters is highly contentious, and China constantly looks to gain a stronger foothold to strengthen maritime power. The Chinese do this with show of force and innovative actions. During the past decade, China began building artificial islands in the South China Sea (Panda). These islands are used not only for military purposes, but to strengthen claims over the surrounding water. While seeking to expand influence, China constantly antagonizes states in the region.
China's aggressiveness is a growing trend. In late January, 2021, China breached Taiwanese airspace with 13 warplanes (Connelly). This action follows years of growing anxiety that China might one day invade Taiwan. Newly confirmed U.S Secretary of State Tony Blinken released a statement supporting Taiwan sovereignty, saying "the commitment to Taiwan is something that we hold to very strongly... part of that commitment is making sure that Taiwan has the ability to defend itself against aggression" (Connelly). His comments show the severity of the situation; China's increasingly ambitious attitude is gaining worldwide attention.
So what does this have to do with Myanmar?
Pictured: The China-Myanmar Economic Corridor
Via: MyanmarTimes, Feb 1, 2019.
The answer to this question becomes quite clear when viewing the image shown above. Pictured is the provisional route of railways and port projects that run from South-western China through Myanmar to the Bay of Bengal. This project is an extension of China's "Belt and Road" program, seeking to expand economic access to the Indian Ocean (Kondepudi). There is a new problem with this venture; it was agreed upon by (newly incarcerated) Aung San Suu Kyi in early 2020. Xi Jinping reportedly forged a close ally in Kyi. It is unclear whether the new leadership will take kindly to China's aspirations. Chinese state media, Xinhua, seems to be treading lightly, using rhetorical techniques to avoid belligerence with new commander-in-chief Hlaing. The state media outlet referred to the coup as a "major cabinet reshuffle" (Kondepudi). The country has yet to condemn the coup. Xi Jinping desires the domestic and political stability of Myanmar in order to continue China's pursuit of economic maritime power through Myanmar. The coup throws a wrench into the works.
References:
Cuddy, A. (2021). Myanmar coup: What is happening and why?. BBC News. Retrieved 9 February 2021, from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-55902070.
Kondepudi, R. (2021). In geopolitical struggle over Myanmar, China has an edge. MSN. Retrieved 9 February 2021, from https://www.msn.com/en-in/money/topstories/in-geopolitical-struggle-over-myanmar-china-has-an-edge/ar-BB1drgnb.
Panda, A. (2021). Are China’s South China Sea Artificial Islands Militarily Significant and Useful?. Thediplomat.com. Retrieved 9 February 2021, from https://thediplomat.com/2020/01/are-chinas-south-china-sea-artificial-islands-militarily-significant-and-useful/.
2 comments:
Nick, you are smart young man.
I really enjoyed your blog post. I find it interesting that China hasn't condemned the coup, especially since (as you highlighted) they need Myanmar to be stable. I wonder what their reasons were for not condemning the coup so far- are their reasons political, social or both?
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