U.S.-Based Chinese Dissident Wang Dan: The 'Black Hand' Of Beijing Is Behind The Coup In Myanmar

In a video posted on his YouTube account on February 28, 2021, U.S.-based Chinese dissident Wang Dan, one of the most prominent student leaders in the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, accused the Chinese government of being the "black hand" behind the recent coup that took place in Myanmar. He cited the timing of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to Myanmar earlier this year being "too coincidental." Wang Dan also said that FM Yi's statements in the wake of a meeting between him and Myanmar leader Min Aung Hlaing could be inferred as "positive affirmation" of Myanmar military’s role in Myanmar's government. For more About Wang Dan, see MEMRI TV clip no. 8764.

Wang Dan: "What I think should get the most attention from the outside world about this coup is the 'black hand' of Beijing behind it. What role did China and the Chinese Communist Party play in the coup in Myanmar? China, of course, completely denied it, saying the coup had nothing to do with them, that Myanmar's internal affairs had nothing to do with them, and they denied any role in it at all.

"But I think although we do not have direct evidence of Chinese influence in this military coup in Myanmar, the signs are so obvious that we can say everyone can see through it. A few examples: first, on January 12th this year, we all know that Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Myanmar on January 12, which was a very big move. Why were you running around during the pandemic? Why couldn't you stay at home and do video conferencing instead? He himself went to Myanmar. Less than half a month after Wang Yi met with Min Aung Hlaing, the Myanmar coup took place. The timing is too coincidental. And we know that China has maintained a very good relationship with the military government of Myanmar for a long time.

"I would never go to Myanmar at all. I think I will be kidnapped by the military government when I arrive in Myanmar and sent to Beijing. Their relationship is very good. Of course, Aung San Suu Kyi later began to exert political influence, but Aung San Suu Kyi also expressed friendly will to Beijing, so Beijing did not say much. But if Beijing were to choose a more pro-Communist regime in Myanmar, it would of course still be the military government, wouldn't it?

"China also has a lot of investments in Myanmar, and it is also colluding with the military. There are also interests at stake here, and there is an ulterior control of the important industrial sectors in the Myanmar economy by China and the Myanmar military. The second point is that after the coup in Myanmar, you can see some clues in the Chinese official media reports. When the Chinese news agency Xinhua reported the meeting between Wang Yi and Min Aung Hlaing, they said something that, although it was formulated rhetoric, we the 'old guns,' the long-time observers of China's political development, felt that something was not quite right when we heard it.

"In the Xinhua news release, Wang Yi said one sentence to Min Aung Hlaing, and of course he said many things, but I saw one sentence in it that I think is particularly remarkable. What did it say? Wang Yi said to Min Aung Hlaing: 'China appreciates that the Myanmar military takes national revitalization as its own responsibility and thinks about the future of the country from a long-term perspective.' Let's think about this sentence, it is very meaningful. 'China appreciates that the Myanmar military takes national revitalization as its own responsibility and thinks about the future of the country from a long-term perspective.' This statement by Wang Yi is an obvious positive affirmation of the influence of the Myanmar military on the situation in Myanmar. Of course, this is the official statement, so you can imagine what is being said in private."