ECONOMIC AND SECURITY DRIVERS OF MYANMAR’S COOPERATION WITH CHINA BETWEEN 2016 AND 2021

Myanmar’s bilateral relations with China have varied widely since its independence in the late 1940s despite the two countries' use of the term “pauk-phaw” or kinsfolk to describe their relationship. The primary drivers of the variation in Sino-Myanmar relations have been Myanmar’s internal security and economic conditions. Successive governments in Myanmar have responded to changes in these conditions by strengthening or weakening the country’s bilateral relations with China. This thesis considers the extent that these drivers affected Myanmar’s cooperation with China between 2016 and 2021. This thesis finds that the National League for Democracy (NLD) strengthened Myanmar’s bilateral cooperation with China in response to the country’s internal security and economic conditions under the leadership of Aung San Suu Kyi. Cooperation with China presented the NLD with an opportunity to overcome the security threats posed by ethnic armed organizations (EAO) and receive economic investment. These findings contribute to the scholarly literature on Sino-Myanmar relations.Lieutenant, United States NavyApproved for public release. Distribution is unlimited