Myanmar junta Defense Minister General Tin Aung San has sought cooperation with high-tech drone manufacturers in China as his regime escalates airstrikes on territories lost to ethnic armies.
Tin Aung San attended the 11th Beijing Xiangshan Forum in China from Sept. 12-15 at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Admiral Dong Jun.
During his visit, he met General He Weidong, Vice-Chairman of the Central Military Commission for talks on stability along the border, increased cooperation in the defense sector and military technology, and sending Myanmar trainees to China, junta media reported.
Tin Aung San also visited leading technology companies in Beijing to observe military drone and other air defense technologies. He discussed potential for technical cooperation between these companies and the regime, according to junta media.
Ahead of Tin Aung San’s visit, Beijing also hosted the junta’s home affairs minister, Lieutenant-General Yar Pyae, at its three-day Global Public Security Cooperation Forum in early September. China inked two memoranda of understanding during his trip – to provide 5 million yuan (US$ 700,000) worth of equipment and supplies for the Myanmar Police Force and establish a center for cooperation between the police forces of both countries.
The two ministers’ trips to China came after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Naypyitaw for talks with junta boss Min Aung Hlaing in August.
Armed resistance groups have increasingly used drones in their fight against the regime, inflicting heavy damage over the past two years.
Min Aung Hlaing also claimed that ethnic armies used China-made drones to attack junta positions in northern Shan State during the first phase of Operation 1027.
Resistance groups said the regime has also used China-made drones to carry out attacks on them.
Meanwhile, amid widespread floods that have killed hundreds and displaced hundreds of thousands since last week, the regime has continued its indiscriminate bombing campaign in ethnic areas instead of focusing on rescue and relief operations.
The UN human rights team monitoring Myanmar reports that the junta’s military killed at least 2,414 civilians between April 2023 and the end of this June, including 334 children. About half of those deaths occurred in airstrikes or artillery bombardments.
Despite this, China has invited the heads of two junta ministries responsible for atrocities against Myanmar civilians for visits, supplying them with equipment and invitations to view advanced weaponry.
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