China’s Myanmar Policy: Dilemma or Strategic Ambiguity?

Enmeshed directly and indirectly in Myanmar’s ethnic conflicts, Beijing is facing a dilemma in how to deal with ethnic Chinese irredentist groups amidst ongoing fighting in northern Shan State. Failure to diffuse suspicions of Chinese support for such groups and rein in local actors calls into question relations with Myanmar and China’s neighborhood policy more generally, writes Bernt Berger.