Kachin Unrest: China’s Mixed Blessing (republished)

Commentaries and Op-eds March 7, 2013, Asia Sentinel

Unrest in Myanmar’s northeastern Kachin state is a headache for Beijing. Yet it is also an opportunity to promote Chinese strategic aims in the country. China wants what Myanmar has – Indian Ocean access and an abundance of natural resources to support its rise. As tensions mount, Beijing is planning its next move to counter growing US and European influence.