The damage to China’s standing among Myanmar’s people grows more serious with each day that Beijing supports the illegitimate military regime.
The junta can’t deliver the stability China needs on its southern border, and any hopes that ASEAN can have a positive influence are misguided.
In Jakarta, the bloc didn’t simply fail to condemn the junta and back the people—it bought the generals more time to move ahead with their corrupt and repressive agenda.
The bloc must end its tradition of providing diplomatic coverage for repressive Myanmar regimes and should give the country’s legitimate representatives a platform.
If the strong words of Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia are not followed up with action, the bloc will lose its last chance to be taken seriously.
When it comes to mega projects, Myanmar should not be a passive partner of China; Naypyitaw should be the one to propose plans and dictate their terms.
In reacting to the COVID-19 cluster in Samut Sakhon, Thai officials must take care not to stigmatize the Myanmar migrants on whom the seafood hub’s economy depends.
Despite—and in some cases, because of—border closures due to COVID-19, illegal trades continue to flourish on the Thai-Myanmar frontier.
Alarm bells should be ringing in Naypyitaw over China’s ‘salami slicing’ strategy in border regions with its neighbors.
Bucking pundits’ forcasts and shrugging off the military’s warnings, Myanmar voters gave the NLD an overwhelming mandate to advance the country’s democratic transition.
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