Myanmar Junta Chief Visits Key Ally China

Myanmar junta boss Min Aung Hlaing met with Chinese businessmen upon his arrival in Kunming on November 5, 2024. Image via @cincdsmyanmar

Myanmar’s embattled junta chief arrived in China Tuesday — his first reported visit since leading a coup in 2021 — but analysts say the invitation is only a lukewarm endorsement from his key ally and could backfire.

Min Aung Hlaing was in the southwestern city of Kunming for a summit of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) — a group including China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia — starting Wednesday.

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