China calls for peace in Myanmar

Beijing urged Myanmar’s government to reach a ceasefire with rebels in the northern Kachin state, which abuts China, after artillery bombardments spilled across the border, Financial Times reported. China additionally reprimanded the Myanmar government after an artillery shell landed in Chinese territory for the second time in the past month. Myanmar, a close ally to China, has stepped up its military campaign against Kachin Independence Army, using aircraft and artillery to strike close to the rebel forces’ headquarters in Laiza, near the Chinese border. Hong Lei, China’s foreign ministry spokesman, said that a shell landed 500m inside China on Tuesday and that they have made “immediate emergency representations to Myanmar, expressed strong concern and dissatisfaction with the situation, and demanded that Myanmar earnestly investigate and adopt a series of measures to prevent further similar occurrences.”