Myanmar Artillery Strikes Cause Injuries in Chinese Territory, Prompting Outrage from Beijing

China lodged a protest with Myanmar following an incident where five individuals were injured by artillery shells during clashes between the ruling junta and rebel groups near the border. The surge in armed conflict in northern Myanmar has prompted China to urge for a ceasefire and facilitate dialogue between the warring parties.

Wang Wenbin, the spokesperson, expressed China's strong condemnation of the casualties suffered by Chinese individuals as a result of the conflict, and stated that serious representations have already been made to the relevant parties. He reiterated China's call for all parties involved to halt the fighting, take measures to avoid similar incidents, and prevent further violence.

China is committed to protecting the safety and well-being of its citizens, and will take appropriate measures to ensure their protection. Previously, the state-controlled Global Times reported that five individuals in Nansan, a subtropical town near Myanmar, were hospitalized after sustaining injuries from stray shells on Wednesday.

A video shared on social media by the paper depicted an individual lying on a pavement while bystanders cried out for the police to be called. According to the footage, officials in Zhenkang, a city in Yunnan's southwestern province, verified that shelling had unintentionally crossed over from Laukkai, located in Myanmar's northern Kokang region, around 2 p.m. on Wednesday.

The incident comes after Chinas embassy in Myanmar urged its nationals last week to leave Laukkai as soon as possible, citing growing security risks.

Restive region

Kokang, located in Myanmar's Shan state, has long been known for its instability and unrest. In 2015, the conflict in the region spilled over into Yunnan, with shells landing across the border during fighting between Myanmar government forces and rebels. This incident resulted in injuries to one Chinese and four Myanmar nationals, sparking outrage in Beijing.

Chinese Ministry of Public Security/Weibo

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Some battles took place as close as 500 meters (1,640 feet) from the China-Myanmar border at the time.

In 2009, tens of thousands were forced to flee across the border into China due to clashes in the same area, according to Chinese state media and rights groups. By mid-December, the United Nations reported that over 660,000 people had been displaced in Myanmar since October 27, bringing the nationwide total to a record 2.6 million.

China has urged citizens to avoid travel to northern Myanmar, and advised those already there to seek safety or return home.