Wen Jiabao, the first top Chinese leader to visit Myanmar in 16 years, aims to secure a number of energy related deals with Burma
(here). Yet it's surprising to see photos of Burmese anti-government rebels, err, I mean freedom fighters, err, I mean terrorists, err, I mean drug lords, sporting brand new Type 07 uniforms and Norinco rifles. It seems the PRC has added a new twist to the old axiom -- The enemy of my enemy is my friend, but an enemy with access to oil, is also my friend.
For a more serious analysis of the energy dimension of the PRC's foreign policy, see Andrew Erickson and Gabe Collins latest "Oversea Trumps Overland: China's Oil Supply Future is Maritime."
(here) Type 07 Uniform, Type 81 and Type 56 rifles
Brand new Type 81 rifles
Rebels
3 comments:
Well there is two ways of looking at this, either independent politicians/Norinco officials are making money personally off selling weapons to Burmese rebels, or in fact its completely direct. Given than an entire army has been equipped with their stuff... I'd probably go with the later. Given all the Chinese written in the background, we can assume these pictures are from Kokang?
let's not forget those can be cheap ripoffs
The first photo is United Wa state Army
the second photo is Kokang.
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