China’s government announced that it has mediated a short-term ceasefire to the conflict between the Myanmar junta and armed groups from ethnic minorities in the northern regions near the Chinese border. The conflict has been ongoing since the Arakan Army (AA), the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) and the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) launched Operation 1027 in Myanmar’s northern Shan state in late October. None of the parties to the conflict have commented on the mediated ceasefire.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning stated that discussions between Myanmar’s military and the three groups yielded various agreements, “including the temporary ceasefire and maintaining the momentum of dialogue.” She continued:

China hopes that relevant parties in Myanmar can speed up efforts to implement what has been agreed, exercise maximum restraint, actively ease the situation on the ground, promptly manage sporadic confrontation events and together realize the soft landing of the situation in northern Myanmar.

Hostilities broke out in late October between the military and the Brotherhood Alliance guerrillas in Myanmar’s northeastern region, home to the Kokang ethnic group with strong ties to China. The conflict, unfolding at key border points between Myanmar and China, has threatened the security of military positions and border crossings vital for trade between the two countries.

China, a key ally and arms provider for Myanmar’s junta, has experienced tensions in its relationship with the junta. This strain has arisen primarily from the junta’s failure to address online scam networks operating in Myanmar, which Beijing claims adversely impact Chinese citizens. China’s Ministry of Public Security extensively shared social media posts highlighting the apprehension of purported Myanmar scammers. According to the Xinhua state news agency, the scam centers were in enclaves controlled by junta-aligned forces and were described as having “operated telecom fraud targeting people in the Chinese mainland.”

China’s Assistant Foreign Minister Nong Rong said in November that Myanmar must safeguard the well-being of Chinese residents and personnel. He also emphasized the importance of cooperation to maintain stability along the border.

Myanmar’s junta has been criticized for its use of violence since it overthrew the previous democratically elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021. The military claimed that the election results were fraudulent, but independent observers have dismissed these claims. The coup has sparked widespread protests and civil disobedience, with many people calling for the release of the detained leaders and the restoration of democracy. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a human rights organization dedicated to justice in Myanmar, more than 4,000 people have so far been killed by Myanmar’s military junta since the coup, and upwards of 25,000 have been arrested, charged or sentenced.