Even as the United States and India have condemned the military coup in Myanmar which took place on Monday, it’s neighhour China has adopted a muted tone without choosing to condemn it or support them. However China has blocked a UN Security Council statement which condemns the military coup in Myanmar.
The army in Myanmar refused to accept the outcome of general elections held in November. Meanwhile the National League of Democracy(NLD), which is the elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s party has asked for her immediate release and that the military should acknowledge the election results which pegs her as the country’s leader.
Looking at the developments at the UN Security Council, there has been a failure to agree on a joint statement to condemn the events in Myanmar as there was no support from China, which holds a veto power as a permanent member of the UN Security Council. UN’s Special Envoy on Myanmar Christine Schraner had strongly condemned the military takeover.
China’s actions are tacit support of the turn of events in it’s neighbouring country. Myanmar is a bridge between South Asia and South East Asia and one which China can bank on as a geographical base against India.
On similar lines as India, United States senior State Department officials on Tuesday said they are frequently in contact with like-minded allies and partners in the region including India and Japan. The President Joe Biden-led administration declared on Tuesday that the military takeover of the government in Myanmar was a coup, and threatened to reinstate sanctions and a review of US assistance to the Southeast Asian country.
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“We have certainly been in frequent contact with our like-minded allies and partners in the region; you mentioned Japan and India.” Said a state department officials to reporters. The US did not immediately refer to the events in Myanmar as a coup on Monday, but went on to speak about imposing sanctions on Myanmar, which had been called off in the last decade. US’s take is progression towards democracy, which is why after a decade, sanctions are likely to be imposed as the military coup goes against the fabric of democracy.
On Monday Biden had said, “The United States removed sanctions on Burma over the past decade based on progress toward democracy. The reversal of that progress will necessitate an immediate review of our sanction laws and authorities, followed by appropriate action. The United States will stand up for democracy wherever it is under attack.”
The military coup unfolded hours before the new Parliament was scheduled to convene to accept the outcome of the November elections. The results would have been constitutionally endorsed if the Parliament had convened. Tensions have been rising between the NLD and the military ever since November. Suu Kyi was growing more popular as the 2015 and 2020 election results showed, which led to unpopularity of the military and eventually resulted in the coup on Monday.
(With ANI inputs)