It is understood that the Chinese authorities have detained the leader of the Myanmar National Democratic Army (MNDAA), who traveled to China to meet with the special representative of the Chinese government. Phoon Ta Shwe, who is about 59 years old, is the son of the founder of MNDAA, Phoon Kya Shin. He and China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Special Representative for East Asia Teng Shi Qin held a meeting in Yunnan at the end of last month.
Since the end of that meeting, the Chinese authorities have not allowed him to return to the Myanmar and have been detained under house arrest, according to sources in Myanmar and China’s Yunnan Province. According to initial reports, he was unable to return to Myanmar after the talks because he was being treated at a hospital in Yunnan Province, but now he is under house arrest by the Chinese government. However, it is learned that Phoon Ta Shwe is still allowed to continue to have phone contact with his MNDAA troop leaders.
During Operation 1027, which took place between October of last year and early August of this year, the MNDAA troops and revolutionary allied forces not only recaptured the Kokang Autonomous Region, including Lokai and Chin Shwe Hao towns on the east side of the Than Lwin River in northern Shan State, but also captured the town of Lashio, where the Military Council’s Northeast Military Headquarters is located.
The Chinese authorities, who were worried about the fall of the military group due to the offensive attacks of the ethnic forces and the revolutionary forces, ordered the departure of the Kokang troops from Lashio, just as they controlled the flow of goods at the China-Myanmar border gate. It is learned that he pressured the leaders of the “Wa” unit, an ally of the Kokang Army, not to associate with other revolutionary forces.
In a meeting with the “Wa” leaders, Teng Xiquan said that the main reason why four of the richest Kokang families from Lauk Kai were persecuted was because of their opposition to China. It is necessary to learn from that incident; Although those four families are gone, the Kokang region can still survive. However, without the “Phoon” family, it is impossible for the Kokang region to survive. He told the “Wa” leaders that he had personally met the MNDAA leader. Teng Xiquan told the “Wa” leaders that if the MNDAA, which is China’s position, opposes the immediate withdrawal from Lashio, the “Fon” family will be crushed as the fifth family of the Kokang region.
Due to such pressure from China, the Burmese People’s Liberation Army (BPLA) and other allied forces, which have been fighting the military council together with the Kokang Army, have now left the Kokang-controlled areas and moved to Nung Cho, Shan State, which is controlled by the Taang Army, TNLA. They had to move to Kyaukme and Thi pao towns.
In Lashio, there are concerns among the revolutionary forces that the Kokang troops will continue to be stationed and the military situation in Lashio may change depending on the situation of Phoon Ta Shwe being arrested by China.
“As for Phoon Ta Shwe, he will be killed. Lashio told him not to back down,” said a top revolutionary leader fighting against the military council. However, on the other hand, there is talk among the revolutionary forces that the Kokang forces may withdraw from Lashio at any time, considering the fate of their leader.
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