How ‘One Belt, One Road’ Could Smooth Out Rocky China-Myanmar Ties

How ‘One Belt, One Road’ Could Smooth Out Rocky China-Myanmar Ties
Members of Myanmar's Kachin ethnic group pan for gold in Myitsone, the proposed site of a controversial Chinese-backed dam (AP photo by Khin Maung Win).

Editor’s note: This article is part of an ongoing WPR series about China’s One Belt, One Road infrastructure initiative, also known as the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.

Relations between China and Myanmar have been deeply affected by Myanmar’s ongoing political evolution, though China nevertheless sees Myanmar as a key player in its One Belt, One Road initiative. In an email interview, Yun Sun, senior associate with the East Asia Program at the Stimson Center, traces how bilateral ties have changed in recent years and how One Belt, One Road could potentially serve leaders of both countries—as long as significant political and economic risks can be mitigated.

WPR: How have Myanmar-China ties been affected by Myanmar’s reform process, and what has the relationship been like under Aung San Suu Kyi’s leadership?

Keep reading for free!

Get instant access to the rest of this article by submitting your email address below. You'll also get access to three articles of your choice each month and our free newsletter:

Or, Subscribe now to get full access.

Already a subscriber? Log in here .

What you’ll get with an All-Access subscription to World Politics Review:

A WPR subscription is like no other resource — it’s like having a personal curator and expert analyst of global affairs news. Subscribe now, and you’ll get:

  • Immediate and instant access to the full searchable library of tens of thousands of articles.
  • Daily articles with original analysis, written by leading topic experts, delivered to you every weekday.
  • Regular in-depth articles with deep dives into important issues and countries.
  • The Daily Review email, with our take on the day’s most important news, the latest WPR analysis, what’s on our radar, and more.
  • The Weekly Review email, with quick summaries of the week’s most important coverage, and what’s to come.
  • Completely ad-free reading.

And all of this is available to you when you subscribe today.

More World Politics Review