US sanctions threat may tighten Burma’s China ties

摘要

The threat of new US sanctions against Myanmar (Burma) following a military coup on 1 February could push the southeast Asian country further into the embrace of China, its largest trading partner and closest ally. Myanmar’s armed forces have arrested de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other ofcials in the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) and declared a year-long state of emergency, placing commander-in-chief Min Aung Hlaing in power. The coup derailed uneven moves to establish democratic rule in recent years that helped the NLD to win power in 2015 and encouraged Washington to lift long-standing sanctions on the country. US president Joe Biden has promised an “immediate review” of sanctions against Myanmar, potentially complicating foreign energy investment in the country.