June 13, 2024

On June 11, 2024, the Chinese government handed over six patrol boats to the Myanmar military junta in Yangon. According to a statement from the Chinese Embassy, Myanmar had officially requested assistance from China in June 2018, and an agreement for the patrol boat project was signed during President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Myanmar in 2020.

The junta’s announcement confirmed that the 28-meter patrol boats and the 48-meter patrol boats provided by China will be utilized by the Myanmar Police Force’s Maritime Police Unit.

Recently, a video circulated on social media showing the Myanmar Navy’s patrol boats attacking and capsizing two border guard boats, which were initially approaching to assist in a rescue operation. This incident resulted in the drowning of police officers and their families, with two women and two children still missing.

Simultaneously, the Chinese government is also reportedly in discussions with the Arakan Army (AA) to ensure that China’s natural gas pipelines and economic zones in Rakhine State remain unharmed.