Beijing’s Influence on Aung San Suu Kyi and Myanmar

Burmese State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi paid a historic visit to Beijing in August, heralding the Panglong Conference in early September, which was a conference between the Burmese government and armed minority rebel groups. The article mentions the influence of the Chinese government (aka Beijing) in three aspects. First, it was the meeting with Aung San Suu Kyi, who is applauded in the west as a political dissident, the type that Beijing usually dislikes. Aung San Suu Kyi's visit marks a reconciliation between Beijing and Naypyidaw as well as her status as a politician, not a dissident. Second, the article mentions Beijing-backed infrastructure projects along the border of the two countries, which were suspended under Aung San Suu Kyi's predecessor. Third, the article paints Beijing as a behind-the-scene player in the negotiation between the Burmese government and the armed minority rebels. For me, this influence was unheard of and worth looking into. The article claims that Beijing has a heavy influence on Aung San Suu Kyi and the Panglong Conference, but did not go into details on how exactly those influences were exerted. The conference saw progress and consensus, but the article does not point out Beijing's reaction. I'll try to find out about this on Chinese media.