Reproduced from Epoch Times
Beijing's silent support for the Myanmar government and its brutal
suppression against its people angers the international society. Even
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Price laureate and a South African
cleric, a religious leader who is seldom involved in international
politics, came out and urged China to intervene in the confrontations in
Myanmar or he (the Archbishop) would "join a campaign to boycott the
Beijing Olympics". Some Internet users in China continue to show their
misplaced loyalties based on their ignorance and applaud Beijing's
action.
Opinions from some westerners conclude that what motivates Beijing to support Myanmar is economic interest, and yet others think it is out of Beijing's fear of democracy. Some experts in China defended the government with seemingly correct reasons—in principle Beijing does not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries and really doesn't possess the kind of powerful influence the outside imagines; it is correct that Beijing chooses to be silent on the situation in Myanmar.
As a matter of fact, if one doesn't purposely pretend to be confused, it becomes apparent that the support Beijing has for Myanmar is completely for its own political interest.
First, China and Myanmar are both addicted to violent dictatorship. The difference is civil officials are in charge of the government in China, whereas in Myanmar, after the political revolution in 1962, entered the military government period.
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) formed a military government when it took power in China. All successive movements, including the Anti-revolutionary movement and the Land Reform Act that killed tens of millions of people, had been rationalized into acts of justice by officials. In reality, hadn't Beijing always suppressed groups with military force and caused the deaths of many? Myanmar's government suppression is child's play compared to what the CCP has done and it's nothing but a price to pay to sustain stability. In addition, the CCP regime is as highly corrupted as Myanmar's except the CCP is more experienced. In Myanmar information leaked out to already angry citizens that the daughter of General Than Shwe was given US$50 million on her marriage. In China, the private lives of high-level officials is kept a state secret.
Second, Beijing wouldn't want to see any damage done to the league of dictators. Since the time of Mao Zedong, China has been trying to export to neighboring countries its revolutionary ideas to build a league of dictators to fight against western political infiltration and "peaceful evolution." These neighboring countries paid a miserable price for these ideas from the CCP, and their miserable histories belong to the "state secrets" in China and remain unknown to most Chinese people. The league of dictators has greatly diminished and left China few friends like North Korea and Myanmar. In order to stay in power, it became necessary for Beijing to support its ally, the Myanmar government.
Third, China favors Myanmar geographically. In recent years, Beijing has been attracting support from southeastern Asian countries through regional organizations such as the Association of Southeastern Asian Nations. Beijing has spent most money in Myanmar among all other southeastern Asian countries. Beijing has supported the current Myanmar government since it came to power in 1988 by providing over US$2 billion for its military, several billion U.S. dollars in economic support, including basic infrastructures and various training.
For these reasons, in January of this year, Beijing, together with Russia and South Africa, vetoed to sanction Myanmar at the U.N. After this, the military junta's actions were further encouraged.
As much as the international community renounced Beijing's vote at the U.N., Beijing proudly hung this "medal" on its chest and told its people that it is the hero against "western empires" and the savior of a third world country. All media played the clip of China's U.N. representative Wang Guangya raising his right hand to say "No" to western countries and how grateful Myanmar government is for Beijing's support. Beijing can see its own future in this current situation in Myanmar and the possible isolation as the voice of international condemnation.
It's not hard for Chinese people to see what roll Beijing plays on the international stage. Just remember old sayings like "birds of a feather flock together" and "A man is known by the company he keeps" and it won't be hard to tell what kind of regime befriends Kim Jong-Il from North Korea and the Myanmar government.
Opinions from some westerners conclude that what motivates Beijing to support Myanmar is economic interest, and yet others think it is out of Beijing's fear of democracy. Some experts in China defended the government with seemingly correct reasons—in principle Beijing does not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries and really doesn't possess the kind of powerful influence the outside imagines; it is correct that Beijing chooses to be silent on the situation in Myanmar.
As a matter of fact, if one doesn't purposely pretend to be confused, it becomes apparent that the support Beijing has for Myanmar is completely for its own political interest.
First, China and Myanmar are both addicted to violent dictatorship. The difference is civil officials are in charge of the government in China, whereas in Myanmar, after the political revolution in 1962, entered the military government period.
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) formed a military government when it took power in China. All successive movements, including the Anti-revolutionary movement and the Land Reform Act that killed tens of millions of people, had been rationalized into acts of justice by officials. In reality, hadn't Beijing always suppressed groups with military force and caused the deaths of many? Myanmar's government suppression is child's play compared to what the CCP has done and it's nothing but a price to pay to sustain stability. In addition, the CCP regime is as highly corrupted as Myanmar's except the CCP is more experienced. In Myanmar information leaked out to already angry citizens that the daughter of General Than Shwe was given US$50 million on her marriage. In China, the private lives of high-level officials is kept a state secret.
Second, Beijing wouldn't want to see any damage done to the league of dictators. Since the time of Mao Zedong, China has been trying to export to neighboring countries its revolutionary ideas to build a league of dictators to fight against western political infiltration and "peaceful evolution." These neighboring countries paid a miserable price for these ideas from the CCP, and their miserable histories belong to the "state secrets" in China and remain unknown to most Chinese people. The league of dictators has greatly diminished and left China few friends like North Korea and Myanmar. In order to stay in power, it became necessary for Beijing to support its ally, the Myanmar government.
Third, China favors Myanmar geographically. In recent years, Beijing has been attracting support from southeastern Asian countries through regional organizations such as the Association of Southeastern Asian Nations. Beijing has spent most money in Myanmar among all other southeastern Asian countries. Beijing has supported the current Myanmar government since it came to power in 1988 by providing over US$2 billion for its military, several billion U.S. dollars in economic support, including basic infrastructures and various training.
For these reasons, in January of this year, Beijing, together with Russia and South Africa, vetoed to sanction Myanmar at the U.N. After this, the military junta's actions were further encouraged.
As much as the international community renounced Beijing's vote at the U.N., Beijing proudly hung this "medal" on its chest and told its people that it is the hero against "western empires" and the savior of a third world country. All media played the clip of China's U.N. representative Wang Guangya raising his right hand to say "No" to western countries and how grateful Myanmar government is for Beijing's support. Beijing can see its own future in this current situation in Myanmar and the possible isolation as the voice of international condemnation.
It's not hard for Chinese people to see what roll Beijing plays on the international stage. Just remember old sayings like "birds of a feather flock together" and "A man is known by the company he keeps" and it won't be hard to tell what kind of regime befriends Kim Jong-Il from North Korea and the Myanmar government.
