Decoding China’s proposal to address Rohingya crisis

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By CGTN's The Point

“China’s thinking is to resolve the Rohingya issue through development in Rakhine State,” said Song Qingrun, an Associate Professor from the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations.

His comments come after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi proposed a three-phase solution to address the Rohingya issue in Myanmar's western Rakhine state.

The first phase is achieving a ceasefire, which Wang pointed out is now in place. Secondly, the international community should encourage Myanmar and Bangladesh to maintain communication in a bid to find a feasible solution to the issue. While the third phase is establishing a long-term solution.

Olivier Guillard, Asian Specialist at the French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs. /CGTN Photo

Wang also called on the international community to support poverty alleviation efforts in Rakhine state.

“There is nothing special in this initiative. We talk about a ceasefire, we talk about the need for two countries to discuss together and propose something from the economic side and social-economic dimension but it really matters a lot,” said Olivier Guillard, an Asian Specialist at the French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs.

“There is a need for international assistance but the assistance has no magic to settle the issue in a matter of days or weeks. Still there is obviously a positive attitude vis-a-vis this matter.”

Song Qingrun, Associate Professor from the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations. /CGTN Photo

Wang also said that China has proposed building an economic corridor with Myanmar to further enhance bilateral cooperation. The corridor will start from China's southern Yunnan Province, then go down to Mandalay in Myanmar, before splitting east to Yangon and west to Kyaukpyu.

“The end of the corridor is in Kyankpyu, a town in Rakhine State. We know that this is the conflict area for Buddhist and Rohingya Muslims. China will use its capital, technology and other resources to help Myanmar to develop the poor area and decrease the causes of their conflicts,” Song explained.

The China-Myanmar economic corridor is regarded as significant, in the same way that some view the BCIM (Bangladesh, China, India, Myanmar) Economic Corridor as holding back progress.

M. D. Nalapat, UNESCO Peace Chair at Manipal University, said that development anywhere is welcomed.

“If a corridor can create development in Myanmar, it will also be to the benefit of neighbors of Myanmar. Namely India,” he said.

The Point with Liu Xin is a 30-minute current affairs program on CGTN. It airs weekdays at 9.30 p.m. BJT (1330GMT), with rebroadcasts at 5.30 a.m. (2130GMT) and 10.30 a.m. (0230GMT).

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