The Belt and Road Initiative

The Belt and Road Initiative has created new opportunities for the peaceful settlement of the northern Myanmar issue

The fighting in Kokang region in northern Myanmar has been extinguished with a presidential decree, and there is a glimmer of hope for the peaceful settlement of the issue in northern Myanmar. The problem of northern Myanmar is essentially a problem of lack of national identity and national identity, which is difficult to be completely solved in a short period of time by simple military means. To assist and promote the peaceful settlement of the northern Myanmar issue is conducive to realizing the practical interests of both China and Myanmar. At present, various parties have put forward many solutions to the northern Myanmar issue, but none of them have broken out of the traditional framework. China has proposed a new way of thinking and solving the current problems in northern Myanmar, that is, based on the construction of the "Belt and Road", to promote economic development in northern Myanmar, enhance cultural and economic exchanges among ethnic groups in Myanmar, and consolidate the national identity of all ethnic groups in Myanmar. Taking the construction of the "Belt and Road" as the perspective, promoting the peaceful solution of the northern Myanmar issue from the root cause may be a feasible way, which is worth exploring and learning from.

The "Belt and Road" construction in Myanmar is difficult to avoid the many challenges brought by the northern Myanmar issue, but at the same time, the "Belt and Road" in Myanmar is bound to bring new opportunities for deepening China-Myanmar cooperation and create new opportunities for peacefully resolving the "civilian, land and military" issue in northern Myanmar. China and Myanmar are linked by mountains and rivers and draw on each other's complementary advantages. There is huge potential and space for mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries. Upholding the concept of "peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual benefit", and promoting broader, higher and deeper regional cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative is not only in line with the trend of The Times, but also in the fundamental interests of China and Myanmar. Due to its prominent geographical location, Myanmar has inherent advantages and unique importance in the construction of the "21st Century Maritime Silk Road" and the "Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor" as an integral part of the "Silk Road Economic Belt". Therefore, once the "Belt and Road" concept was put forward, it was highly praised by Myanmar society. The current government of Myanmar has repeatedly said that it will actively participate in China's "Belt and Road" plan. Aung SAN Suu Kyi has also publicly stated on many occasions that China-Myanmar cooperation is in the interests of the two countries, and on the eve of the election, she spoke out for the first time on my Myitsone hydropower project, saying that if the NLD wins the election, she will consider restarting the project. The sincere cooperation between China and Myanmar in the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative is conducive to overcoming the negative impact of the northern Myanmar issue and promoting its peaceful settlement.

Secondly, as mentioned above, the essence of the northern Myanmar issue is the lack of national identity and national identity construction, which is difficult to be completely solved in a short period of time by purely military means. The Belt and Road Initiative, with policy communication, infrastructure connectivity, unimpeded trade, financial integration and people-to-people ties as its main cooperation contents, will help promote the sustainable economic development of the ethnic minority areas in northern Myanmar, enhance cultural and economic exchanges and integration between the ethnic minority areas and the Burmese areas, and gradually consolidate the national identity of all ethnic groups in the Union of Myanmar. In this sense, the Belt and Road Initiative is conducive to promoting the peaceful settlement of the northern Myanmar issue from the root cause.

The key to promoting the construction of the "Belt and Road" in Myanmar and properly responding to the many challenges of the northern Myanmar issue is to prevent it from going international. It is necessary to strengthen positive guidance to all parties involved in the Northern Myanmar issue and effectively prevent the United States and other non-regional forces from interfering in the northern Myanmar issue and disrupting the construction of the "Belt and Road". At the same time, we should continue to adhere to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of Myanmar on the issue of civilian, land and military forces, and prevent the issue of northern Myanmar from undermining the overall situation of China-Myanmar relations and affecting Myanmar's willingness to cooperate under the Belt and Road Initiative. However, we should strengthen mediation efforts to promote peace and oppose Myanmar's efforts to touch China's major interests when resolving the issue of civilian, land and military forces. In addition, it should strengthen economic and trade cooperation, cultural exchanges and personnel exchanges with northern Myanmar in due course, provide necessary social and economic development and humanitarian assistance, and help Northern Myanmar to narrow the gap between social and economic development and that of the Burmese ethnic group as soon as possible. It should not only be a mediator and mediator on the issue of northern Myanmar, but also be a supporter and promoter of sustainable social and economic development in northern Myanmar.