China backs Myanmar military amid growing border tensions

FILE - Senior General Min Aung Hlaing inspects officers during a parade to commemorate Myanmar's 78th Armed Forces Day in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, on March 27, 2023. China reaffirmed support for the junta leader at a meeting in Kunming, China, on Nov. 6, 2024. FILE - In this photo provided by Mandalay People's Defense, members of the Ta'ang National Liberation Army and Mandalay People's Defense resistance forces pose for a photograph in front of a captured building in Nawnghkio, Myanmar, on June 26, 2024.

As clashes escalate along Myanmar’s northern border, Chinese Premier Li Qiang this week reaffirmed Beijing's support for Myanmar’s military leader, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.