Dr. Naing Swe Oo
Member of Senior Advisory Board
Myanmar Institute of Strategic and International Studies

Introduction

Securing borders in the new era of regional connectivity requires a balanced approach that addresses both the need for connectivity and the imperative of maintaining security. While regional connectivity enhances economic growth and promotes cooperation, it also presents new challenges in terms of border management and security threats . With the process of globalization, many political geographers and research institutions have begun to focus on borders and border areas. Myanmar – China border is 2,129 km (1,323 mi) in length and runs from the tripoint with India in the north to the tripoint with Laos in the south. The concept of pauk-phaw, or brotherhood, has long been used to indicate the close relationship between China and Myanmar. China has renewed its diplomatic engagement with Myanmar in 2023. Moving forward, China has it sights set on maintaining a close relationship with the region to protect its own and Myanmar’s developing interests. After China’s Foreign Minister visit to Myanmar, the two countries’ relationship continues to grow. On June 8, 2023, Naypyitaw held a celebration of China-Myanmar’s 73rd anniversary of diplomatic ties and reaffirmed the relationship through a four-point agreement.

This notion feeds into the intuition that de-bordering—softening borders, de-funding security measures, or tearing down physical interstate barriers—should also mitigate perceived threat from immigration and promote immigrant inclusion.

However, borders turn to symbolic lines of defense against threats in a process of centuries-old framing (Massey 2016). Such primordial symbolism of the border is sticky and durable, and does not easily disappear when borders are removed or weakened (Pelkmans 2011; Andrews 2003). Along with actual external threats that do exist in many cases but are also regularly exaggerated, such symbolism seems to create a situation where people condition.

While there is evidence showing that border barriers can substantially reduce terrorist attacks when they are monitored by law enforcement agents (Avdan and Gelpi 2016; Linebarger and Braithwaite 2020), there is also evidence suggesting that they could radicalize the target population (Longo, Canetti, and Hite-Rubin 2014; Gade 2020). And whereas border walls decrease crime and smuggling in protected towns, they also turn not-protected towns to the new target of smugglers (Getmansky, Grossman, and Wright 2019). Similarly, borders seem to have a divergent effect on group identities and intergroup relations. On the one hand, the drawing of national borders can define ethnic and national loyalties (Miles and Rochefort 1991), which could lead to exclusionary attitudes toward outgroups.

On the other hand, once such national identities are embedded in people’s minds, securing national borders makes people more open to accept outgroup members, their attitudes toward immigration on their sense of control over borders.

There are challenges such as

1. Geographical Challenges: The border region is characterized by mountainous terrain, dense forests, and rivers, making it difficult to secure. These natural features provide cover for illicit activities such as smuggling, illegal crossings, and drug trafficking. Effectively managing and patrolling such a vast and challenging landscape requires specialized resources, infrastructure, and technology.
2. Counterterrorism and Insurgency: Historically, the China-Myanmar border region has been affected by insurgencies, ethnic conflicts, and the presence of non-state armed groups. Border security efforts aim to prevent cross-border movements of armed insurgents and terrorist organizations that may pose threats to the stability and security of both China and Myanmar. Intelligence sharing, joint patrols, and targeted operations are employed to counter such threats.
3. Combatting Transnational Crime: The border region is a hotspot for various forms of transnational crime, including drug trafficking, illegal wildlife trade, human trafficking, and smuggling of goods and weapons. Border security forces from both countries collaborate to disrupt criminal networks, intercept illicit activities, and prosecute offenders involved in such illegal operations.

1. Protection of Investments: The BRI involves massive investments in infrastructure projects, industrial zones, and energy facilities. To protect these investments, it is crucial to maintain a secure environment along the Myanmar-China border. Border security measures that safeguard assets and mitigate risks, such as cross-border smuggling, organized crime, and potential territorial disputes, are vital to ensure the viability of the projects.
2. Preventing Security Threats: A secure border is essential to prevent security threats from crossing into either country. This includes addressing concerns related to terrorism, drug trafficking, human trafficking, and illegal migration. Effective border security measures can contribute to reducing these risks, ensuring the smooth operation of BRI projects and safeguarding the well-being of local communities.
3. Facilitating Trade and Connectivity: A secure border facilitates the efficient movement of goods and people between China and Myanmar, which is crucial for trade and economic integration under the BRI. Streamlined customs procedures, secure border crossings, and efficient transportation networks can enhance connectivity, reduce trade barriers, and promote economic growth in both countries.
4. Cooperation and Agreements: China and Myanmar have established various mechanisms for bilateral cooperation on border security. This includes information sharing, joint patrols, border liaison offices, and the coordination of law enforcement efforts. These agreements aim to enhance communication and cooperation between border security forces, intelligence agencies, and other relevant authorities.
5. Border Infrastructure and Technology: Improving infrastructure along the border, including border checkpoints, roads, and communication networks, is necessary to facilitate effective border security operations. Additionally, the deployment of advanced technology such as surveillance cameras, drones, and biometric identification systems enhances the monitoring and detection capabilities of border security forces.
6. Strengthening Regional Stability: The Myanmar-China border region, including areas like Yunnan Province in China and Myanmar’s northern states, faces historical challenges related to conflicts, insurgencies, and ethnic tensions. A secure border helps to stabilize the region, fostering peace, and stability. By addressing security concerns, countries can focus on socio-economic development and social cohesion, further supporting the goals of the BRI.
7. Enhancing People-to-People Exchanges: The BRI also aims to foster cultural understanding and people-to-people exchanges between China and Myanmar. A secure border encourages greater tourism, educational collaborations, and cultural interactions, creating opportunities for mutual learning and cooperation. By ensuring safety and confidence among travelers, a secured border can promote positive cross-cultural engagements, facilitating a deeper understanding between the two nations.
8. Strengthening Bilateral Relations: A well-managed and secure border between China and Myanmar contributes to strengthening bilateral relations. By actively cooperating on border security, both countries demonstrate their commitment to each other’s interests, fostering trust and collaboration. This cooperation can extend beyond border security, supporting broader diplomatic ties, trade agreements, and strategic partnerships.

• Risks and challenges have been addressed effectively. China and neighboring countries have worked together in tackling such challenges as terrorism, separatism and financial crisis in the region.
• China stands ready to work with neighboring countries to, relying on the four pillars of connectivity, development, security and people-to-people exchanges and focusing on the six cooperation areas of the political sector, economy and trade, science and technology, security, people-to-people exchanges and global challenges, work for a community with a shared future among neighboring countries that features shared concepts, plans, benefits, security and responsibilities.
• We need to jointly build a demonstration area of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and deepen “physical connectivity” of infrastructure and “institutional connectivity” of rules and standards.
• We will work together to build Global Development Initiative pilot zone featuring more equitable, balanced and inclusive development partnership, Global Security Initiative pilot zone featuring an Asian pathway of security defined by planning together, building together and benefiting together, and Global Civilization Initiative pilot zone that boosts people-to-people exchanges and the mutual learning, harmonious coexistence of civilizations.

Both sides also focused on the situations of Myanmar and China which are trustful for each other, friendly relations between the two countries and enhancement of diplomatic relations.

They also emphasized plans to take action against offenders in online gambling, fraudulent communications, production of narcotic drugs and trafficking in the Laukkai region, interference of a world powerhouse in affairs of global countries including Myanmar’s affairs and manipulating these countries under the double standard with selfishness.

They also exchanged views on the occurrence of ethnic armed conflicts based on the power struggle of ethnic groups in northern Shan State since the post-independence period, production and trafficking of narcotic drugs by some ethnic armed organizations, an unrest of Phon/Yan groups in Kokang region, empowering Pei group, attempts to grasp power, production of arms and ammunition, deterioration of border region peace and stability due to inflow of arms and ammunition, plans to effectively restrict illegal online gambling and online scam in the border region and exposing the offenders and taking action against them, plans to verify the businesses not in line with the law in the region and formation of the joint law enforcement and security bodies between the two countries.