JAKARTA - The attack on China's twin pipeline oil and natural gas facility in Mandalay, Myanmar was reported to have occurred on Wednesday, May 5.
Armed with sharp weapons suspected of being machetes and swords, the attackers killed three guards at the facility, with cut wounds to the neck.
Launching The Irrawaddy, this attack attracted the attention of high-ranking officials of the Myanmar military regime and of course China. Even though the facility is still safe, it has made China ask the Myanmar military regime to increase its guarding.
Stretching 800 kilometers from the western region of Myanmar to the territory of China in the east, this oil and gas pipeline network is of great strategic value. The crude oil pipeline transports 22 million tonnes of oil per year. Meanwhile, the natural gas pipeline is capable of carrying 12 billion cubic meters of gas per year.
Long before last Wednesday's attack, China had warned against specifically asking for the protection of its oil and gas pipeline, which is worth 1.5 US dollars specifically, Director General of the External Security Affairs Department under China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bai Tian, was sent to ask the military regime to guarantee the safety of China's oil and natural gas pipeline in Myanmar, following the rise of anti-Chinese sentiment.
This twin pipeline network runs parallel from the port of Kyaukphyu in Rakhine State on the Bay of Bengal, through the Magwe and Mandalay regions and northern Shan State before entering China. The construction project was signed in 2008 under the military regime at that time.
As important as this facility is, Director-General Bai Tian said, criticism about the oil and gas pipeline should not be tolerated, because it is important for Myanmar's socio-economic development. The relevant organization should control the fake news related to the project.
A document that was leaked to the public describing a meeting between the Chinese envoy and the Myanmar military regime, related to safeguarding oil and gas pipelines, drew harsh criticism.
In the document, it was stated that China asked the Myanmar military to provide better security, as well as intelligence (data) on ethnic minority armed groups in the oil and natural gas pipeline belonging to China that crosses Myanmar.
"Safeguarding the security of bilateral cooperation projects is a shared responsibility of both China and Myanmar. This will also benefit the safe operation of the bilateral cooperation project", China's Foreign Ministry said in response to a question about the document.
Myanmar Coup. The VOI editorial team continues to monitor the political situation in one of the ASEAN member countries. Casualties from civilians continue to fall. Readers can follow the news surrounding the Myanmar military coup by tapping on this link.
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