Chinese special envoy to Myanmar Deng Xijun recently visited the headquarters of powerful ethnic armed organisations (EAOs) in northern Myanmar and met the leaders of the United Wa State Army (UWSA), Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA).

The Chinese envoy urged the armed groups to strive for peace in Myanmar, U Nyi Rang, the liaison officer of the UWSA’s Lashio office, told DMG. He declined to provide details.

But political analysts say prospects for peace in the short term are dim.

“China also knows that these problems can’t be solved in a short period of time. The Chinese envoy must have urged them to solve the problems peacefully instead of fighting,” political analyst U Ye Tun told DMG.

The ethnic armed groups’ meeting with Deng Xijun came about a week after the parallel National Unity Government (NUG) opened a foreign affairs office in the United States, he noted.

“The policy of China is that it wants the domestic issues of Myanmar to be solved by political forces inside the country. It previously said it is opposed to foreign intervention in Myanmar’s affairs using arms. As the NUG’s foreign ministry has opened an office in the US, China might view that as the US pushing Myanmar [into armed conflicts]. This is why the special envoy has met the ethnic groups,” he said.

The UWSA, KIA and the NDAA are under the influence of China, he said.

In December, Deng Xijun also met the leaders of seven EAOs in China’s Yunnan Province — the UWSA, the KIA, the NDAA, the Shan State Progress Party, the Arakan Army, the Ta’ang National Liberation Army and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army.