Hundreds of brand new Chinese military trucks have been delivered to military-ruled Burma through the border in Burma’s northeast Shan State since last week, said border sources.
The Chinese trucks are meant for the Burmese Army. The trucks have been sent to the Chinese border Jiegao, opposite Muse border trade town of Burma, said sources in Muse.
According to eyewitnesses, till last night, over 300 trucks crossed into Burma and over 100 trucks are waiting in Jiegao now. The six-wheel trucks can carry from 40 to 60 troops.
Most trucks are covered and no one knows what is in it, said residents of Muse.
According to the staff of 105 Mile border trade zone, the newly delivered Chinese trucks have been distributed among 13 regional military commands around the country with each getting 50 trucks in keeping with the plan of the military leaders in Naypyitaw, Burma’s capital.
Each regional command has been ordered to receive the new Chinese trucks from the border by Naypyitaw, added the sources.
The 105 Mile border trade zone’s sources said, the newly imported Chinese trucks are to be used in the event of a civil war with ethnic armed groups in the pre or post election period this year.
At the same time, Shan, Kachin, Mon, and Wa are on alert in their territories to defend itself against any offensive by the Burmese military, said the groups’ sources.
The most powerful Kachin Independence Organization and United Wa State Army rejected transforming to the junta-proposed Border Guard Forces but will not start a war with the junta, the two groups’ sources added.
The junta receives the largest consignment of weapons and military support from neighbouring China along with armaments from other countries like Russia, Singapore, India, Ukraine and North Korea.
Currently, China’s total investment in mining and energy sectors in Burma is over 600 billion dollars and China is terribly worried that it may loss its huge investment if there is civil war between the junta and ethnic armed groups, said sources close to Chinese authorities on the border.
The new Chinese military trucks have been given to the Burmese junta even as it plans to hold the countrywide elections in an atmosphere where civil war can resume.