Some armed groups met due to China's pressure and interests, interim president says peace talks are accelerating

Neighboring China's government pressure and engagement and cooperation in line with national interests have led to meetings and discussions for peace within the 100-day plan with some ethnic armed organizations, said the interim president, who transformed from the military leader who seized power in a coup. The 100-day plan, formulated by the interim government that came to power through the sham election in 2025 after the coup, was completed today, July 31. "To achieve stability and peace in the country, peace is essential. Regarding peace, we have worked with momentum within the legal framework to re-enter and meet peacefully, and we have opened the door to peace forever and invited them," said the interim president. Furthermore, the interim government stated that it always invites ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) with the belief that the door to peace is permanently open, and that meetings will proceed without any prior restrictions. Currently, meetings have been held with 13 EAOs in Naypyidaw, he said. Among the 13 EAOs that the interim president claimed to have met with is the Chin National Organization (CNO), based in Falam Township, Chin State, which is still resisting them. Although the interim government's army recaptured the area in April this year, it is not known whether meetings took place. However, it is known that some of the remaining ceasefire groups that had previously signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) and have not resisted the military coup, as well as some groups that have not signed the NCA but are engaging due to national interests and pressure from the Chinese government, have met with the interim government. Among these are the Karen Peace Council (KNU/KNLA-PC), the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS), the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP), the New Mon State Party (NMSP), and splinter groups known as the Lahu Democratic Union (LDU). These groups are engaging and cooperating with the interim government for their own interests, and some groups that have not yet signed the NCA are also doing so, and they are identified as the subordinate Shan Ni National Army (SNA) and the Naga National Socialist Council-Khaplang (NSCN-K). In addition, it is known that meetings have been held in Naypyidaw with members of the Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee (FPNCC), which was formed by the United Wa State Army (UWSA) and its northern allies, due to the Chinese government's blockade, pressure, and mediation assistance. FPNCC members who visited Naypyidaw, the seat of the interim government, and held discussions include the Shan State Progress Party (SSPP), the National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA), widely known as the Mong La group, the UWSA, and the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA). It is known that the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the Arakan Army (AA), members of the FPNCC which is composed of seven northern alliance groups, have refused to meet and are resisting in the same way as other revolutionary forces and ethnic armed organizations (EROs). The interim government, which is militarily losing ground, is accelerating its military operations with the support of countries including China and Russia to regain lost territories, while simultaneously bombing civilians nationwide and inviting them to peace talks. The ceasefire plans of the interim government, which is committing such acts, are devoid of political substance and are aimed at authoritarian conflict management, the fragmentation of opposition groups, and the consolidation of military rule, according to the Institute for Strategy and Policy-Myanmar (ISP-Myanmar). Photo – Interim Government