Thein Sein Visits Sino-Burmese Border Town

RUILI, China —  Prime Minister Gen Thein Sein was scheduled to visit Muse on the Sino-Burmese border on Tuesday amid the junta's increased pressure on ethnic cease-fire groups to transform into border guard forces under the regime's command.

Sources on the border said he is to meet with local authorities and the business community in Muse, opposite Ruili in Yunnan Province, one of the country's busiest trading gates.

Burmese Prime Minister Gen Thein Sein examines packs of narcotic drugs during a ceremony to destroy narcotic drugs last year in Kentung in eastern Shan State. (Photo: AP)

Muse is also the location of several important government agencies including Military Affairs Security (MAS), formerly known as the Military Intelligence Service.

Recently, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army increased troops along the border with Burma, particularly near areas controlled by cease-fire groups.

According to Chinese officials, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao is scheduled to visit Burma in the near future. Among the topics on his agenda is likely to be ethnic issues along with Sino-Burmese business ties.

Lt-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, chief of the Bureau Special Operations (BSO)-2 which oversees the northeastern, eastern and triangle Regional Military Commands (RMCs) and his aide, Maj-Gen Aung Than Htut, the commander of the Lashio-based Northeastern RMC are reportedly accompanying Thein Sein.

In late February, Thein Sein also visited Kachin State along with Lt-Gen Tha Aye, chief of the BSO-1 and Maj-Gen Soe Win, the commander of the Northern RMC. He met with leaders of the Kachin Independence Organization in Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin State.

Thein Sein is no stranger to Shan State affairs. Previously, he served as commander of the Triangle RMC before he was appointed adjutant-general of the tatmadaw (armed forces).

When he was Triangle RMC commander, junta troops clashed with the Royal Thai Army during a border skirmish in early 2001.

Currently, Thein Sein does not hold a position within the armed forces, prompting some analysts to remove him from the fourth highest ranked position in the junta, replacing him with Gen Tin Aung Myint Oo, who is quartermaster-general.