China's Myanmar Trade Deal Would Legitimize Hidden Economic Ties

Xi Jinping and Myanmar's junta leader agreed in June to negotiate a free-trade agreement. The pact would formalize trade flows—especially through border checkpoints in Shan and Kachin states—that already exist but escape official statistics. This benefits Chinese companies in Yunnan, not local populations. A deal deepens Myanmar's economic dependence on Beijing while generating revenue for the isolated junta.