China Bans Its Citizens From Entering North Myanmar

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Mao Ning (ANTARA/Desca Lidya Natalia)

JAKARTA - China has banned its citizens from coming to northern Myanmar due to poor security conditions in the area, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning.

"The current security situation in Kokang, which is a very severe and complex self-contained zone. We remind Chinese citizens not to travel to northern Myanmar," Mao told media in Beijing, China, as reported by ANTARA, Thursday, December 28.

Armed conflict has occurred since October 27, 2023, when the alliance of armed ethnic groups "Third Brotherhood Alliance" coordinated to attack military posts in the northern state of Shan in northern Myanmar bordering China.

"We also ask Chinese citizens already in the area, especially those in the city of Laukkaing, to move to a safe place or return to China as soon as possible and take precautions for safety," Mao said.

The three groups are the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), the Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA), and the Arakan Army (AA).

The three have met in China mid-December 2023 to make a peace agreement in Myanmar.

"We continue to believe that a ceasefire needs to be maintained and peace talks by relevant parties in Myanmar need to be carried out so as to encourage peace in the China-Myanmar border area," Mao added.

China hopes that all side-by-laws will exercise restraint, actively defuse the situation on the ground, and prioritize a peaceful approach in northern Myanmar.

"And take concrete action to protect the safety and security of Chinese projects and personnel in Myanmar," Mao said.

The alliance's attack on October 27, 2023 saw the junta lose more than 100 security posts and four cities, including an important border with China.

Junta admits that it has lost control of several cities on the border, including Chinshwehaw, which is located next to China's Yunnan province.

China itself is bothered by the flow of evacuation and cross-border violations due to the escalation of the conflict in Myanmar.

The United Nations said 18.6 million Myanmar residents needed humanitarian assistance and about six million of them needed assistance because they had to evacuate, disrupted health and education services, food insecurity and malnutrition and the risk of protection.

In 2017, the Myanmar military launched a violent operation against Rohingya in Rakhine State which human rights groups called genocide.

Nearly 1.2 million Rohingya residents were forced to flee to neighboring Bangladesh to live in overcrowded refugee camps over the years.

After the 2021 Myanmar coup that toppled Aung San Suu Kyi's democratically elected government, the Myanmar military launched brutal oppression of millions of their opponents.