A few days ago, the local media in Myanmar reported a surprising news: Myanmar's Deputy Defense Minister Aung Lim Thong was detained and interrogated by the Burmese military government on suspicion of participating in the crime of wire fraud in the Kokang region and providing shelter to the fraud leader. The Myanmar side said that this decision was made at the request of the Chinese side.
[Myanmar Deputy Defense Minister Aung Linghun arrested on suspicion of wire fraud]
As we all know, the Kokang region is an area with a high incidence of wire fraud in Myanmar, and the four major families in charge of this area and other leaders of wire fraud are basically inextricably linked to the Myanmar military government. For example, Ming Xuechang, known locally as the "Old Leader", is the head of the Ming family, who has served as the head of the Kokang Dongshan District, a member of the Shan State Assembly in Myanmar, and a member of the Kokang Autonomous Region and a member of the Leadership Committee. It is obviously impossible for a high-ranking government official to engage in wire fraud under his nose and to make such a big deal that the Burmese military government does not know anything about it.
What's more, although the Burmese side has been very active in China's crackdown on wire fraud, the Myanmar military has shown hesitation in arresting some major criminals, and if it were not for the repeated urging and pressure from China and other countries, the Burmese military government would probably only arrest some "small fish and shrimp" and get away with errands.
Nowadays, although the tele-fraud syndicates in the Kokang area have been almost wiped out, other places, such as the Myawaddy KK Park, are still there, and it is difficult to guarantee that there will be no remnants of the tele-fraudsters in the Kokang area, and they will return to the Kokang area after recuperating in other tele-fraud parks. And Aung Linton, who was arrested this time, is undoubtedly one of the biggest "protective umbrellas".
【Myawaddy KK Park Aerial Image】
It should be noted that Aung Limton is the right-hand man of Min Aung Hlaing, the leader of the Burmese military junta. Prior to the military coup, he was a member of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of the Burmese Army. Just three months later, he was quickly promoted to deputy defense minister and also chairman of the Central Military Recruitment Committee. According to Burmese media reports, Aung Limton was last seen by the public at a conscription board meeting on March 4 this year, and after he was detained for interrogation, Tatmadaw commanders sent to Kokang area, as well as junta-related personnel suspected of money laundering, are also under thorough investigation.
From the initial hesitation to the current investigation of henchmen at the request of the Chinese side, it is difficult not to associate it with the previous PLA military exercises on the China-Myanmar border.
Earlier this month, the Chinese People's Liberation Army organized a live-fire exercise on the mainland's China-Myanmar border. The exercise lasted 34 hours and involved a large scale, using H-6K bombers, J-10C fighters, and Z-20 helicopters. According to a spokesman for the Southern Theater of Operations, the military exercise is aimed at responding to any unexpected situation and preparing for the defense of national sovereignty, border stability and the safety of people's property. Combined with the PLA's actual combat exercises and the accounts of the spokesperson of the Southern Theater, we can speculate that the current China-Myanmar border may face some threats. And a large part of this threat comes from the Kachin army.
[The Kachin Independence Army has close ties with the United States]
The Kachin Independence Army (KIA) is a relatively strong local force in Myanmar, with a total strength of about 15,000 troops. This time, taking advantage of the fact that the Burmese military government was beaten by the alliance of the three brothers, the Kachin army has been vigorously expanding its territory, and has taken control of the communication artery from Momouk to the Chinese border, and pushed the battle line to the Sino-Burmese border. Among them, the China-Myanmar treaty port "Leki Port", which has been controlled by the Kachin Army, has been closed.
It is worth mentioning that the Kachin Army maintains close ties with the United States. The origins of the Kachin Army can be traced back to the US-backed 101 Commando during World War II, and the Kachin script was also compiled with the help of Americans. As a result, it is highly hostile to China, and the Kachin Army has repeatedly targeted Chinese companies when China helped build a large hydropower project in Myanmar, and in 2014 directly kidnapped Chinese workers. Moreover, the Kachin army has repeatedly tried to instigate separatism among ethnic minorities such as the Jingpo ethnic group in Yunnan, Yunnan, and other ethnic minorities on the mainland.
[Min Aung Hlaing's situation is not optimistic]
Now that these separatist terrorists have arrived at China's doorstep, the PLA naturally wants to take action to deter. In addition to deterring the Kachin Army, the PLA's action also sent a signal to the Burmese government that China will never allow the existence of any person or force that attempts to endanger the rights and security of the Chinese people.
For the current Min Aung Hlaing regime, the internal conflicts have seriously shaken the foundation of the regime, and the voices in the external and international environment are not friendly, and there are very few voices acknowledging the Min Aung Hlaing regime. Therefore, handing over Aung Linton, the "protective umbrella" at the level of deputy defense minister, has a very strong sense of easing relations.
From our point of view, the cancer of electric fraud has been harming the Chinese people for a long time, and it is certain that the Myanmar side can cooperate with the handover of the "protective umbrella" this time, but the surrender of Aung Lington does not mean the end of the incident, and in the follow-up investigation, the Myanmar side must continue to actively cooperate with the Chinese side, and only by completely eradicating the cancer of electric fraud can China-Myanmar cooperation be smoother.