CHINA’S SUPPORT FOR MYANMAR SHOWS ITS PREFERENCE FOR AUTOCRACIES

China’s support for Myanmar despite human rights abuses by the Junta and the supply of weapons to its military via Pakistan shows Beijing’s continued preference for doing business with abusive and autocratic governments across the world.

According to a write-up by Sophie Richardson, which was published by Human Rights Watch, it is a “tenet of Chinese foreign policy” to have relations with and provide aid to even those governments that “abuse” human rights of their nationals, reported The Singapore Post. Since the coup in Myanmar in February last year, the junta has destroyed 100 villages and razed over 5,500 buildings in the country’s central region. The military regime in the country is suppressing any form of opposition to military rule.

Early in February 2022, 200 houses of Ma Htee village in Central Myanmar were burnt to ashes by the junta. Even after human rights abuses of its citizens, China has continued to show its solidarity with the country.

Beijing has pledged to jointly oppose unilateral sanctions, a new consulate office in China, and support the military (junta) in hosting foreign ministers of China, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam under the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Forum-all this while avoiding any mention of human rights abuses by the junta in Myanmar.

It is also pushing military hardware to Myanmar through Pakistan. It is supplying 60 and 81 mm mortars, M-79 grenade launchers, and Heavy Machine Guns. As Myanmar is interested in the air to surface missiles and JF-17 fighter aircraft (a China-Pakistan joint venture), China is ensuring that such equipment reaches the junta without much delay. These deals are taking place in a secretive manner and away from the watch of the UN.