China has increased military and police patrols along its western border with Myanmar, citing the deepening conflict between the country’s military regime and armed groups opposed to the 2021 coup, Al Jazeera reports.
The heightened security measures, which include air surveillance, will focus on the towns of Ruili, Zhenkang, and other border areas, according to a statement released by the Chinese military.
Ruili, located in China’s southwestern Yunnan province, serves as a major passage for people and goods traveling between China and Myanmar. However, recent escalation in fighting across the border in Myanmar’s Shan State has seen artillery shells landing in Chinese territory, injuring residents and causing damage.
Fighting intensified late last year when ethnic armed groups formed an alliance to push the military from the region. A Beijing-brokered truce in January collapsed in late June, leading to a renewed and expanded offensive by the armed groups. They claim to have overtaken numerous Myanmar military posts and seized control of key towns.
The Myanmar military has responded with airstrikes, drone attacks, and restrictions on internet and mobile phone networks, forcing thousands of people to flee their homes.
The Southern Theater of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army announced it has also conducted exercises to test soldiers’ ability to “quickly move, block and control, and strike together, and maintain security and stability in the border areas.”
China has expressed concern over the deteriorating situation in Myanmar and its potential spillover effects on its border. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi recently reiterated China’s “commitment to restore peace and stability in Myanmar.”
