The Chinese Consulate in Mandalay’s Chanmyathazi Township is a fortified one. The compound is sealed off to the outside with a high fence while police are on sentry. CCTVs record anyone passing the premises. The two-story building has its own security system inside and outside.
So when an alleged attack hit the consulate on Friday, causing slight damage to the building but no casualties, it prompted questions as to who was behind it.
The attack took place amid Chinese pressure on anti-regime ethnic armed groups near its border to stop their anti-junta operations, and follows Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to Myanmar in August to show Beijing’s support for the regime in the face of armed resistance against it.
The junta on Saturday said security personnel are conducting an investigation and would arrest the responsible “terrorists”, and that it had beefed up security in response. Local security sources said a high level investigation had been launched and local police in Mandalay were told not to get involved. But speculation was rife that a group linked to the Myanmar military was involved.
After the incident, residents of Mandalay quickly blamed the junta-allied Pyu Saw Htee militia, as people said they saw militia members flee the area of the consulate in a car right after the attack.
Local political observers and China watchers thought it might be a regime tactic to direct China’s anger toward anti-regime resistance forces, taking advantage of Myanmar people’s frustration and anger at Beijing over the enormous pressure China has put on armed resistance forces since Wang’s visit.
Other observers speculated that a possible conflict between the consulate and Chinese in Mandalay may be the reason, but many think the attack was politically motivated. Other sources in Mandalay and Yangon attributed the attack to the same regime-linked groups that organized arson attacks on Chinese-owned textile factories in Hlaing Thayar Township in Yangon in 2021.
The arson attacks happened on March 14 of that year after the regime launched a deadly crackdown on anti-coup protesters in the township. Chinese government mouthpiece the Global Times at the time claimed that 32 factories built with Chinese investment had been vandalized, looted and burned, causing around US$37 million in damage. Beijing demanded that the junta take immediate action against the perpetrators and move to protect Chinese citizens and interests.
But pro-democracy protesters across Myanmar condemned Beijing’s demands and denied the allegations, saying that the arson attacks were a plot by the military to justify harsher crackdowns.
The regime sentenced a total of 28 people to 20 years in prison after they were found of guilty of the arson attacks but 18 are still at large, according to military media.
On Monday, Beijing said it had lodged a protest with Myanmar authorities over the consulate attack, saying “China expresses its deep shock at the attack and sternly condemns it”.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said Beijing “urged Myanmar to thoroughly investigate the attack” and “go all out to catch and punish the perpetrators in accordance with the law”.
