On Friday, following China’s endorsement of the transition plans of the ruling military junta, the United States pledged to continue backing the democratic opposition in Myanmar.
Key ethnic rebel organizations, such as the Karen National Union, and the shadow National Unity Government, which is primarily composed of parliamentarians overthrown in a coup in 2021, convened virtually under the leadership of two top US officials.
Using Myanmar’s previous name, the State Department stated that US officials “commended the groups on their collaborative efforts to work on establishing a path toward an inclusive federal democratic Burma.”
The officials from the US “reiterated that the United States will continue to expand direct support and assistance to pro-democracy actors” as well as “develop concrete steps towards a full transition to civilian governance that respects the will of the people of Burma,” according to the statement.
Tom Sullivan, a senior advisor to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Michael Schiffer, the head of the US Agency for International Development’s Asia division, were the two US representatives present at the conference.
The US-backed 10-year democratic experiment in Myanmar was overthrown by the coup. There is unrest following the military takeover, and in some areas of the nation, the army is not in complete control.
The junta’s leader, Min Aung Hlaing, met with Wang Yi, China’s visiting foreign minister, earlier this week. Beijing is the junta’s main supporter and weaponry supplier.
Wang expressed support for the junta’s pledges to hold elections as part of a transition.
The junta has continuously postponed the elections schedule while it has been in power.
