China has provided the Myanmar junta’s police force with 5 million yuan (about US$ 690,000) in assistance and awarded a medal to the visiting home affairs minister – the first time Beijing has honored a top general in the current regime.
Lieutenant-General Yar Pyae wrapped up his week-long trip for talks on law enforcement and security cooperation with Public Security Minister Wang Xiaohong on Monday.
Wang bestowed the junta minister with the Golden Great Wall Commemorative Medal, awarded to officials from foreign countries who have made outstanding contributions to protecting the safety of Chinese citizens.
Yar Pyae visited Beijing People’s Police College on April 25 before holding talks with Wang focused on security and eradicating online scam operations and human trafficking that have proliferated on the Myanmar side of the border.
During the talks, Wang said China always considers China-Myanmar relations from a strategic perspective and is trying to improve them.
“We want to deepen holistic collaboration on rule of law and security while seriously eradicating trans-border crimes like online scams and the drug trade,” the minister said, according to China Xinhua News.
The two ministers signed a deal to provide 5 million yuan in assistance to the Myanmar Police Force before Wang awarded Yar Pyae with the Great Wall medal.
Previous joint crackdowns by China and Myanmar on online crime syndicates near the border had achieved impressive results, Wang said. Yar Pyae called for greater efforts to cement bilateral cooperation on rule of law and security.
The junta last year handed over hundreds of cyber-scam suspects wanted by China, including crime bosses from the online fraud hub of Kokang in northern Shan State.
Wang met with junta boss Min Aung Hlaing in Naypyitaw on Oct. 31 last year to discuss border stability, combating the online scam operations, and accelerating China’s Belt and Road projects in Myanmar. Wang also met Yar Pyae for security talks at the time.
The two also held an online meeting on Jan. 5 to discuss border stability and the fight against cross-border crime.
