The ethnic Palaung State Liberation Front (PSLF) and its armed wing the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) are coming under increasing pressure from the Chinese government to stop fighting the junta, the PSLF revealed during a press conference on Sunday.
The northern Shan-based ethnic rebel army has inflicted a string of severe military defeats on the regime.
“There were threats against us. I think everyone will remember the letter that was recently sent to us by China’s Ruili City Administration. That’s not all. There has also been pressure—not just verbal threats, but through other means as well. There are ongoing pressures, beyond ordinary threats,” said Colonel Tar Pan La, joint general secretary 2 of the PSLF/TNLA.
In August last year, the Ruili City Security Committee sent a warning letter threatening the TNLA to “immediately stop fighting and cooperate with China in maintaining peace and stability in northern Shan State and along the China-Myanmar border or face more deterrent and disciplinary actions.”
Tar Pan La said, “China doesn’t want fighting along the Myanmar-China border. Military operations are not allowed—not only along China’s oil and gas pipelines, but also in areas where [other] Chinese investments and factories are located. For over a decade, China has consistently urged us in person or through messages to avoid clashes,” he said.
The TNLA is a member of the Brotherhood Alliance along with two other ethnic armies: the Arakan Army (AA) based in Rakhine State, and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), a Kokang ethnic armed group from northern Shan State.
Along with several anti-regime resistance groups including the People’s Defense Force (PDF), which is the armed wing of the civilian National Unity Government (NUG), the Brotherhood Alliance launched Operation 1027, a major anti-regime military operation, across northern Shan State in October 2023.
During the operation, the ethnic alliance and allied resistance groups seized most of northern Shan State including the capital Lashio and vital trade routes with China. The TNLA and resistance allies have seized additional towns in northern Mandalay Region, pushing towards the country’s second-largest city, Mandalay, in September 2024.
However, the TNLA and MNDAA had to slow their operations after facing increasingly intense pressure from the Chinese government, which closed all border gates to the territories of the two ethnic armed organizations in northern Shan State. China also pressured another powerful group, the United Wa State Army (UWSA) in eastern Shan State, to close gates between its territory and MNDAA-held territory.
The Chinese government also reportedly detained MNDAA leader Peng Daren to pressure the ethnic army to stop fighting the regime in northern Shan in 2024.
The MNDAA, under Chinese pressure, was forced to return Lashio, which it had liberated with the help of several resistance groups, to the regime in April this year.
However, during China-brokered peace talks in Kunming on April 28 and 29, the TNLA refused to abandon five liberated towns and retreat to the Palaung’s self-administered Namhsan and Mongton townships in northern Shan State.
At the talks, the regime demanded the return of Hsipaw, Nawnghkio, Kyaukme and Mongmit towns in northern Shan State and Mogoke, a ruby town in the north of Mandalay Region. The TNLA liberated the towns with help from several resistance groups including the PDF.
Since the peace talks failed, the regime has been bombing TNLA-held towns and territory.
“We will not give up our territory due to Chinese pressure. We also value the voices of our allies,” Tar Pan La said at the press conference.
Meanwhile, Myanmar expats on Saturday and Sunday staged protests in front of Chinese embassies in the United States and South Korea to condemn Chinese interference in Myanmar’s internal affairs.
In contrast, the AA, which has not faced the same level of Chinese pressure, has liberated 14 of Rakhine State’s 17 townships as well as Paletwa Township in neighboring Chin State since expanding Operation 1027 in western Myanmar in November 2023.
The ethnic army is now attempting to seize Rakhine State’s capital Sittwe and Kyaukphyu town, where major Chinese investment projects are located. Alongside several resistance groups, the AA has also expanded its operation into neighboring Magwe, Bago and Ayeyarwady regions, taking control of more areas.
