Chinese spooks raise queries

Politics

Chinese spooks raise queries

The latest convulsions in Burma that had abruptly ended Gen Khin Nyunt's less than 14-month rule had taken its northeastern neighbor somewhat off guard, according to Shan sources along the Sino-Shan border, reports Hawkeye:

"Who's behind Maung Aye's move (to oust Khin Nyunt), Indians or the Americans? was the first question posed by the Chinese intelligence community in Yunnan," said a Shan businessman born in China.

Deputy Senior General Maung Aye, 67, had often been tagged by some western intelligence officers as the man whom they could work with, the source quoted Chinese officers as saying.

Burma's giant neighbor was not also happy about Senior General Than Shwe's 6-day visit to India that began Sunday. "In view of the current unrest in Burma, he could have chosen to stay put," a disgruntled high official from Kunming, Yunnan's capital, reportedly told a source. "That was bad protocol."

Newly appointed Foreign Minister Nyan Win was reported to have held a briefing session with Rangoon's diplomatic missions which include China on 22 October, 4 days after Gen Khin Nyunt's surprise removal.

China and India had fought a brief war over territory in 1962.