SOAS Research Online

Abstract

This article investigates the persistent conflicts in the Kokang region, a territory on the China–Myanmar border occupied by a Han Chinese community. The conflicts in 2009, 2015 and 2023, characterised by intense clashes between Kokang’s Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army and the Myanmar government, escalated local mutinies into broader regional conflicts. Utilising archival research, including important Chinese material, this article traces the conflict’s evolution from colonial-era family strife through Cold War proxy battles to complex post-Cold War family–faction contestations. It explores how Kokang has historically leveraged external powers, transitioning from interactions during British colonial rule in Burma and the Republic of China to engagements with the People’s Republic of China during and after the Cold War. This historical engagement has shaped Kokang’s regional and international conflict profile. The findings indicate that while external state interactions have played a role, the primary drivers are the Kokang factions themselves, who use these mutinies for self-governance and power accumulation. This analysis provides insights into the complex dynamics driving ongoing conflicts in the China–Myanmar borderland.