Consulate attack highlights China’s ‘delicate’ balancing act in Myanmar

Blast raises doubt over whether military government can protect Chinese assets and comes ahead of possible China visit by junta chief, analysts say

Reading Time:5 minutes

China’s consulate in Mandalay, the second-largest city in Myanmar, was damaged by an explosive device last week. Photo: AFP

Published: 12:00pm, 27 Oct 2024Updated: 3:34pm, 27 Oct 2024

An attack on China’s consulate in Myanmar’s second-largest city Mandalay highlights the challenges Beijing faces in the war-torn country, as it tries to find a balance between the ruling junta and armed opposition, observers say.

No casualties were reported after an explosive device was detonated on October 18, damaging the two-storey Chinese consulate in central Mandalay, according to China’s foreign ministry.

Analysts say the blast has again raised doubt over whether the military government can protect Chinese interests and assets amid an increasingly violent civil war, ahead of a reported China visit by junta chief Min Aung Hlaing next month.

Beijing, which is a major ally and arms supplier of Myanmar’s military while maintaining close contact with rebel groups near its border, condemned the attack and lodged a “serious protest” with the junta.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian on Monday called on Myanmar to “get to the bottom of the incident, make an all-out effort to hunt down the perpetrators and bring them to justice in accordance with the law … and prevent similar incidents from happening again”.

09:33

Myanmar’s military government lost direct control over 86% of its territory after months of fighting

Details of the attack are sketchy and it remains unclear who was responsible. The junta blamed “terrorists” in a statement on Saturday and said it was investigating in cooperation with consulate officials.