BEIJING: The Myanmar military and the Myanmar National Democratic Allia­nce Army (MNDAA) signed a formal agr­e­ement for a ceasefire that began on Satur­day, China’s foreign ministry said, halting fighting near the border of both countries.

The two sides held talks in China’s southwestern city of Kunming where they thanked Beijing for its efforts to promote peace, ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said during a regular news briefing on Monday. “Cooling down the situation in the north of Myanmar is in the common interest of all parties in Myanmar and all countries in the region, and contributes to the security, stability and development of the border areas between China and Myanmar,” she said.

China will continue to actively promote peace and dialogue and provide support and assistance to the peace process in northern Myanmar, Mao said. The MNDAA is one of several ethnic minority armed groups fighting to repel the military from what they consider their territories. It is part of the so-called Three Brotherhood Alliance, with the Ta’ang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army, that launched an offensive against the military junta in late Oct 2023 seizing swathes of territory near the border with China.

Published in Dawn, January 21st, 2025