Chinese Consulate in Mandalay, Myanmar, Attacked by Explosion; Roof Tiles Slightly Damaged

The Associated Press reported on Saturday (October 19) citing the Myanmar military government, independent media and local residents, that the attack took place on Friday afternoon, and no organization has yet claimed responsibility for the explosion.
According to the Myanmar independent media The Irrawaddy, a military government official, said that the attack device was a grenade, which landed on the roof of the Chinese Consulate General, and the blocks around the consulate were later blocked and controlled.
The Myanmar military government said in a statement on Saturday night that the roof tiles of the Chinese Consulate General were damaged in the explosion.
The statement said that the authorities are investigating and hunting down the "terrorists" involved.
The Chinese Consulate General in Mandalay, Myanmar, has not yet responded to the incident.
A local resident who wished to remain anonymous told the Associated Press that after the explosion, security around the consulate was further upgraded and the road leading to the consulate had been closed.
The shadow government set up by the opposition, the "Myanmar National Unity Government", condemned the attack in a statement and expressed its firm opposition to any actions that could cause ethnic or religious conflict.
Gao Ping, the Chinese Consul General in Mandalay, took office in August this year.
China is a major ally of Myanmar's military junta. The military overthrew Aung San Suu Kyi's elected government and took over power in 2021. It is currently fighting pro-democracy guerrillas and ethnic militias across the country.
Since October last year, ethnic armed groups have launched a major blow to the military in northeastern Myanmar, seizing important territory bordering China, forcing the military to take a defensive position.
Under the mediation of the Chinese government, the two sides once ceased fire, but fighting broke out again in June.
The gains made by ethnic armed groups have weakened the military's control and raised concerns about the stability of the military government.
Myanmar's military leader Min Aung Hlaing is reportedly going to visit China in November, his first visit to China since taking office.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Myanmar in August and met with Min Aung Hlaing. Wang Yi said at the time that China "opposes chaos and war in Myanmar and opposes foreign forces interfering in Myanmar's internal affairs."
The Associated Press reported that China has close ties with some powerful ethnic armed groups and has tried to persuade these groups to stop the offensive.
It is widely believed that China initially acquiesced to the offensive in order to curb the large-scale online fraud and human trafficking rampant in the enclave. These criminal activities are mostly run by ethnic Chinese groups, which is embarrassing for Beijing.
China and Russia are the main weapons suppliers to the Myanmar military. China is also Myanmar's largest trading partner and has invested billions of dollars in Myanmar's minerals, oil and gas pipelines, and other infrastructure.
Western countries have imposed sanctions and isolation policies on the military government because of Myanmar's coup and human rights violations.