Amid China’s funding to Myanmar’s junta,resistance forces have given a collective warning to the Chinese-run coppermines in Salingyi to halt their operations and join the civil disobediencemovement (CDM) by May 5.

Salingyiis home to the Chinese-run Letpadaung, Sapetaung, and Kyesintaung copper minesand resistance groups in Salingyi and Yinmabin are raising their voice againstthe joint ventures of China and Myanmar’s military, reported The irrawaddy.

People are displaying their dismay with China and Myanmar’s junta collaborationas they continue to fight to uproot the dictatorship. The resistance groupssaid they will attack all sources of funding for the dictatorship with anymeans.

In January, resistance fighters blew up electricity pylons supplying theChina-backed Tagaung Taung nickel-processing plant in Sagaing Region, whichforced production to halt.
Since the coup, Chinese projects have been largely safe despite the resistanceforces’ attacks on police and soldiers guarding some Chinese projects. But thecollective announcement on Thursday was the first open warning to Chineseprojects in the country.

The three Chinese mines are run by Wanbao Mining, Ltd. and its twosubsidiaries, Myanmar Wanbao Mining Copper, Ltd. and Myanmar Yang Tse Copper,Ltd. in partnership with the military-owned Myanma Economic Holdings Ltd, asper the media outlet.

A report by Publish What You Pay Australia, a coalition of 30 organizationscampaigning for transparency and accountability in the extractive industries,said that the Chinese-backed mines were financially propping up the junta.

The report, How Chinese Mining Investment Funds the Myanmar Military, releasedin November last year, said the Chinese-run Letpadaung, Sapetaung andKyesintaung, and Tagaung Taung mines in Sagaing paid an estimated USD 725million to the military during the 2020-21 financial year.

Wanbao is a subsidiary of the Chinese state-owned defense firm China NorthIndustries Corporation. In July 2021, the US sanctioned Wanbao Mining and itsentities for supporting Myanmar’s military regime. (ANI)