China says 3,000 flee Myanmar after fighting along border

Record ID: 77933

  • Title: China says 3,000 flee Myanmar after fighting along border
  • Date: 22nd November 2016
  • Summary: BEIJING, CHINA (NOVEMBER 22, 2016) (REUTERS) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN GENG SHUANG WALKING IN FOR REGULAR BRIEFING MEDIA SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN, GENG SHUANG, SAYING: "About 3,000 people at the border on the Myanmar side entered Chinese territory to escape chaos caused by fighting. On humanitarian considerations, China's local government has made appropriate arrangements for them, and injured people have been taken to hospital for treatment. We hope Myanmar citizens can return back to their homeland as soon as possible after the fighting is over and the tension has eased." MEDIA SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN, GENG SHUANG, SAYING: "We strongly hope that both sides involved in the clash exercise restraint, immediately halt military action, avoid escalating the situation and take effective steps so that the border region returns to peace as soon as possible, and avoid anything that could damage China's sovereignty and border residents' lives and property safety. Meanwhile, China is willing to keep playing a constructive role in Myanmar's internal peace process, in accordance with Myanmar's wishes." BRIEFING IN PROGRESS EXTERIOR OF CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY CHINESE NATIONAL FLAG FLYING
  • Embargoed: 7th December 2016 09:38
  • Keywords: China Myanmar flee fighting conflict border
  • Location: BEIJING, CHINA
  • City: BEIJING, CHINA
  • Country: China
  • Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
  • Reuters ID: LVA00159J05S5
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: China's foreign ministry said on Tuesday (November 22) that about 3,000 Myanmar citizens had fled across the border to escape fighting in Myanmar between the government and rebels.
    Four ethnic armed groups have attacked security forces in the north of Myanmar, dealing a major blow to leader Aung San Suu Kyi's top goal of reaching peace with ethnic minorities.
    China, which has been alarmed by previous fighting along the porous border, has put its armed forces on high alert and called for all sides to exercise restraint.
    Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said injured people among the 3,000 Myanmar citizens have been taken to hospital. The refugees are in the southwestern province of Yunnan, which shares a long border with Myanmar.
    China hopes those who have fled can return to Myanmar as soon as the fighting ends, Geng said.
    He urged both sides to immediately halt military action, avoid escalating the situation and take effective steps so that the border region returns to peace as soon as possible.
    "China is willing to keep playing a constructive role in Myanmar's internal peace process, in according with Myanmar's wishes," he added.
    Stray shells have fallen in Wanding, an important border crossing, causing some minor damage, China's state television said.
    The Global Times newspaper also said a Chinese government building in Wanding had been lightly damaged.
    Only one Chinese resident had been injured, and fighting on the Myanmar side had subsided, Geng added.
    The sudden escalation of fighting comes as the Myanmar government grapples with a conflict in northwestern Rakhine that has sent hundreds of Rohingya Muslims fleeing to Bangladesh, posing a new challenge to Nobel peace prize winner Suu Kyi, who swept to power last year on promises of national reconciliation.
    Previous fighting along the border pushed thousands of people into China. China was infuriated last year when five Chinese people were killed after fighting spilled into its territory.
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