A Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO) delegation headed by its chairman, General N'Ban La, traveled to China on 8 December 2024, at the invitation of the Chinese government.

The invitation comes as the KIO’s armed wing, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), is involved in ongoing, intense fighting in Bhamo and Mansi townships in Kachin State. The KIA has already taken over all the border crossings with China in Kachin State, which caused China to ban all border trade between China and Kachin State.

The agenda for what will be discussed at the meeting has not yet been disclosed, according to Colonel Naw Bu, spokesperson for the KIO/KIA.  

He said to KNG on 9 December: “The KIO envoy visited China because the Chinese government extended an invitation to the KIO leaders. Whether there will be a meeting, or any other details are not yet known. What I can confirm is that the KIO envoy, led by General N'Ban La, departed for China yesterday [8 December].”

A Kachin political analyst with expertise in China suggested that the invitation to the KIO might be an effort by China to put the KIA under pressure to halt its offensive in Bhamo or an attempt to negotiate the reopening of the border crossings now under KIA control.

He said: “There are two possible reasons for the invitation: the first is to discuss the reopening of border posts, and the second is to push for an end to the ongoing Battle of Bhamo.”

However, Colonel Naw Bu suggested that the meeting could also be the first of regular monthly or bimonthly meetings between the Chinese Government and the KIO.

In the last few months the KIA has taken control of a region that was, until recently, known as Kachin Special Region 1, from the junta aligned Kachin Border Guard Force (BGF).

Previously the Kachin BGF controlled all of Kachin Special Region 1, an area with large reserves of rare earth metals that covered areas of of Kachin State in Waingmaw, Chipwi, and Tsawlaw, townships, including the border with China.

Even before the KIA had taken control of these areas China had been putting pressure on it not to launch offensives in the former Kachin Special Region 1.

But the KIA defied China and took control of Chipwi Town on 29 September 2024, Pang War (Pangwa) Town on 18 October and Kan Paik Ti Town on 20 November.

By the time the KIA took Kan Paik Ti Town China had already closed all the border crossings in an attempt to pressure ethnic armed organisations (EAOs) to stop their offensives near to the border with China.

Since 4 December the KIA has been attacking Bhamo Town, about 40 miles (about 64 kilometres) from the KIA-controlled border town of Lweje.

The Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) and the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), which control large areas of northern Shan State that border Kachin State, including Lashio Town, formerly the junta's Northeastern Regional Command headquarters, have also come under pressure from China.

As a result of that pressure they have issued statements saying they desire a ceasefire and are willing to hold talks with the junta.