Bertil Lintner: China no sure bet on Myanmar

Source: Asia Times

United Nations special envoy Ibrahim Gambari's latest trip to Myanmar wholly failed to yield any results in pushing the ruling junta towards conciliation with the country's democratic opposition. With the UN's impotence, the international community will now look even more towards China to nudge the ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) towards democratic change.

There is a widespread perception that only China has the diplomatic leverage over Myanmar's generals to force them to the negotiating table to discuss the future of the country with the political opposition. Yet it is still implausible that authoritarian China, despite its recent moves in places like Africa to improve its standing as a responsible global power, will any time soon champion democracy in a neighboring country of such strategic import.

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