&w=3840&q=100)
Ethnic rebels to return key Myanmar city to junta in China-brokered handover
The deal concerns Lashio, the capital of northern Shan state. It was a major blow to the junta's authority when it fell to the MNDAA— an ethnic Kokang rebel force with around 8,000 fighters read more
Myanmar, already rocked by a civil war, has also suffered tragic loss due to an earthquake. Representational image. Reuters
A powerful ethnic armed group in Myanmar is preparing to hand back control of a strategically vital city to the country's military under a deal orchestrated by China.
The Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), which captured the northeastern city of Lashio in August 2024, is expected to return it to the military without further conflict, China's foreign ministry confirmed on Tuesday.
'At the joint invitation of both sides, China recently dispatched a ceasefire monitoring team to Lashio, Myanmar, to oversee the ceasefire between the Myanmar military and the MNDAA and to witness the smooth and orderly handover of Lashio's urban area,' said foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Lashio, the capital of northern Shan state, was a major blow to the junta's authority when it fell to the MNDAA— an ethnic Kokang rebel force with around 8,000 fighters— in what analysts described as the most serious strategic loss for Myanmar's military since its 2021 coup. That putsch ignited a widespread armed uprising, uniting pro-democracy resistance forces with long-standing ethnic insurgents in a fight to unseat the generals.
Yet despite battlefield gains, pressure from Beijing— a key ally of the military regime— appears to have forced a reversal.
Beijing's balancing act
China has long walked a tightrope in Myanmar, supplying weapons to the military while maintaining connections with borderland ethnic armed groups like the MNDAA, whose territory abuts Yunnan province. Lashio sits barely 100 kilometres from Chinese soil and is central to key overland trade routes and prospective Belt and Road Initiative infrastructure investments.
The fall of the city was a step too far for Beijing. Observers say it raised fears of instability spilling over into Chinese territory, prompting China to act decisively. After Lashio was captured, China reportedly cut off power, internet, and water supplies to the MNDAA's Kokang heartland, and encouraged peace overtures to the junta.
In December, the MNDAA signalled its willingness to hold 'peace talks with the Myanmar army on issues such as Lashio', facilitated by China. The quiet diplomacy culminated this week in what appears to be an unconditional handover.
The MNDAA has not publicly commented on the arrangement, and junta officials have remained silent. But on the ground, the transition appears already underway.
AFP cited a military source as saying that the junta officers were being transferred to Lashio. A local resident reported being barred from a hotel where MNDAA officials were meeting with military representatives. Another allied ethnic group said military vehicles had begun reappearing in town.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Rebels, rubies and realpolitik
The city's handover marks a pivotal moment in the civil war, which has seen the military lose ground across large parts of Myanmar. The MNDAA's campaign, launched in late 2023 alongside two other ethnic factions, seized major swathes of Shan state, including areas rich in jade, rubies and cross-border trade revenue.
Lashio was the crown jewel— home to the military's northeastern command and a major commercial hub on the road to China. Its loss exposed the military's vulnerabilities and spurred rare concessions.
Beijing's involvement shows its strategic stakes. The Lashio deal allows China to preserve relations with both sides of the conflict while projecting itself as a stabilising force.
But for Myanmar's fragmented resistance, the deal may serve as a reminder that foreign powers will prioritise their own interests— often at the expense of grassroots democratic aspirations.
Ceasefire extended after deadly quake
In a separate development, Myanmar's junta on Tuesday extended a temporary nationwide ceasefire to 30 April, citing ongoing relief needs following last month's deadly earthquake. The 7.7-magnitude quake has killed over 3,700 people and devastated swathes of the central belt.
The junta claimed the truce— initially announced to ease aid delivery— had 'momentum' for recovery and reconstruction. But conflict monitors and locals in conflict zones report that fighting between the military and resistance forces has not ceased during the declared pause.
Myanmar has been plunged into a complex, many-sided civil war since the military overthrew the elected government in February 2021. Over 2.6 million people have been displaced, and the junta's authority continues to erode as resistance groups expand their control— a trend Beijing now appears intent on tempering.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)

First Post
13 minutes ago
- First Post
IAEA chief warns of potential backlash from Israeli strike on Iran's nuclear facilities
A strike could push Iran to pursue nuclear weapons or leave the Non-Proliferation Treaty, IAEA chief Rafael Grossi warned in an interview read more IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi holds a news conference after the first day of the agency's quarterly Board of Governors meeting at the IAEA headquarters in Vienna, Austria. Reuters Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), stated that Iranians told him that an Israeli assault on Iran's nuclear facilities may make Iran more determined to obtain a nuclear weapon, in an interview which was broadcast and published on Monday. 'A strike could potentially have an amalgamating effect, solidifying Iran's determination – I will say it plainly – to pursue a nuclear weapon or withdraw from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons,' Grossi said in an interview published on the Jerusalem Post website and aired on i24 TV on Monday. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD However, according to the Jerusalem Post, Grossi did not believe that Israel would attack Tehran's nuclear facilities. Grossi told the Jerusalem Post that the Iranian nuclear program 'runs wide and deep'. He also added that 'disrupting them would require overwhelming and devastating force.' Tehran and Washington recently had nuclear negotiations, which were mediated by Oman. Iran is preparing to send a counter-proposal for a nuclear agreement to the United States via Oman, Iranian foreign ministry spokeswoman Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday, in response to an 'unacceptable' US offer. Last week, US President Donald Trump stated he advised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to take any moves that may jeopardise nuclear talks with Iran. 'I told him this would be inappropriate to do right now because we're very close to a solution now,' Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. 'That could change at any moment.' Trump and Netanyahu are expected to speak over the phone on Monday.


Time of India
20 minutes ago
- Time of India
India looking for other magnet sources after China's curbs on rare earth metals
India is in talks with China on ensuring the supply of permanent magnets derived from rare earth minerals but is also working on 'alternate sources' for the critical components, commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal said. He said the government is in constant touch with Indian industry to speed up the development of local sources. China, which controls 90% of the supply of rare earth magnets, has imposed curbs on supplies. These magnets are essential inputs in the manufacturing of cars, electric vehicles and renewable energy equipment, among others. 'There is a concern... our embassy is in dialogue with them (China)... commerce and industry ministry is also working,' Goyal said, adding that the government had already begun work on developing alternate sources. 'Hope Good Sense Prevails' Goyal was speaking to reporters after his interaction with local industry in Bern. "In a way, it's a wake-up call for all those who have become over-reliant on certain geographies. It's a wake-up call for the whole world that you need trusted partners in your supply chain,' the minister said. Auto industry and other industry bodies have represented the matter to the government seeking an early resolution of the problem. China had in April mandated special export licences for seven rare earth elements and related magnets. It is seeking an undertaking that permanent magnets it supplies will not be re-exported to the US, nor will they find applications in the defence industry. ET reported on June 4 that nine auto component manufacturers have received endorsement from the Chinese embassy in India for importing critical rare earth magnets, but supply has not resumed as the neighbouring country's commerce ministry has not given its nod. "Obviously, there are issues around the stopping of permanent magnets from China to India, which will affect our auto sector, particularly, and several white goods and other sectors. Some companies have put in their applications, and we hope that good sense prevails and they get their approvals for permanent magnets," the minister said. The Centre is also looking to Indian Rare Earths Ltd to speed up the development of domestic resources, Goyal said. Asked if the government will consider a production-linked incentive scheme for these magnets, Goyal said he had discussed the matter with the auto industry and was confident of resolving the matter. "They are in dialogue with our innovators, startups and they say they will take care of any funding requirement or pricing correction that may need to encourage faster rollout and growth of this sector," Goyal said. On alternative sources, the minister said these could also be some technologies that India is developing. "The government, the industry and startups and innovators are all working as a team and we are confident that there may be a problem in the short run but we will emerge winners in the mid to long runs," he said. (The reporter is in Bern at the invitation of the ministry of commerce & industry)
&w=3840&q=100)

Business Standard
40 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Trump backs call to arrest California governor Newsom over border row
Newsom, a Democrat, responded that he hoped he would never see the day that a president called for the arrest of a sitting governor in the United States Reuters Los Angeles US President Donald Trump on Monday said he would support the arrest of California Governor Gavin Newsom over possible obstruction of his administration's immigration enforcement measures amid protests in the state. Trump border czar Tom Homan on Saturday threatened to arrest anyone who obstructed enforcement efforts in the state, including Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. Both sharply criticized the Republican president's deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles. "I would do it if I were Tom. I think it's great. Gavin likes the publicity but I think it would be a great thing," Trump said when he returned to the White House. Newsom, a Democrat, responded that he hoped he would never see the day that a president called for the arrest of a sitting governor in the United States. "I don't care if you're a Democrat or a Republican this is a line we cannot cross as a nation this is an unmistakable step toward authoritarianism," Newsom said in a post on X.