Visual Explainer

issue:02,

24 May 2023

China Studies

Aligning with China’s Policy Reset: Revitalizing Trade Routes and Economic Plans in Myanmar

This discussion focuses on the development of China-Myanmar relations over a two-month period, from March to May 2023, based on the ISP Timeline on China-Myanmar relations. Recently, China has been actively advocating for a fresh reset via its ‘Neighborhood Diplomacy’ approach to Myanmar. Meanwhile, China is pursuing development of an International Land-Sea Trade Corridor (ILSTC).

Post “Grand Opening” of China Emphasizing Border Security and Investment Promotion

This explainer describes significant developments in Sino-Myanmar relations based on ’China Timeline’ complied by ISP-Myanmar. Since post-COVID China’s “Grand Opening”, China has focused on promoting economic activities and combating transnational criminal activities and has met with Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs) on the Sino-Myanmar border to foster closer cooperation.

Myanmar and China’s Economic Interests

China’s response to the 2021 military coup seems to have been organized around three factors, in terms of their position on Myanmar. These are: (1) avoiding being labeled as the villain, while also remaining conscious of the political climate, avoiding any situations where