The United Wa State Army’s 9-point counter proposal for transforming into a Burmese Army controlled Border Guard Force (BGF) was shot down by Naypyitaw on March 13, according to a source close to the Wa leadership.

“The UWSA’s liaison officer in Rangoon was informed by one of the staff officers of Lt-Gen Ye Myint (junta’s chief negotiator for the BGF programme) that Naypyitaw stands by its package programme reiterated on February  25 (to Wa leader Bao Youxiang in Tangyan),” recounted the source. “Any concession to the Wa proposal would only lead to division and conflict, he said.”

On the same day, Burmese Army units were reported purchasing boats from villagers on the Pang River, a tributary of the Salween, presumably to be used in cross-river attack of the UWSA.

Naypyitaw has threatened to launch an offensive against the UWSA if its BGF programme was either in part or whole rejected by Panghsang.

China, on the other hand, has been despatching more troops to the border. “In Menglien (opposite the Wa capital Panghsang) alone, there must be about 5,000 to 6,000 now,” a Shan businessman told SHAN. “Last week there were only about 2,000.”

The new reinforcements are from Chengdu (Headquarters of the Chengdu Military Region in Sichuan).

Beijing will not meddle in Burma’s internal affairs, Chinese officials have reportedly assured Naypyitaw. “The troops are there only to monitor the possible influx of refugees and to look after them,” he quoted a Chinese official as saying.

An unconfirmed report however says current preparations against the UWSA are only “a red herring.” The actual attack would be against either the Shan State Army (SSA) North, the UWSA’s ally on the west bank of the Salween, or on the Shan State Army (SSA) South, according to it. “China may care less about an offensive against the SSA (both of which operate mainly west of the Salween) than one against the Wa (which operates east of the Salween along the Sino-Burma border,” the source close to the SSA North explains.