A conversation on Myanmar

An in-depth look into Myanmar’s complex political and ethnic landscape, focusing on the fallout from the 2021 military coup, the rise of the Arakan Army, and the critical situation in Rakhine State

Shafiqur Rahman and I talked with Thomas Kean, an Australian journalist and International Crisis Group senior consultant, a few weeks ago about Myanmar. Mr Kean offers rare, grounded insights from someone who has spent years working on the ground in Myanmar, covering:

• Myanmar’s long history of ethnic and separatist conflicts

• The impact of the military coup on the country’s stability

• The Rohingya refugee crisis and its ongoing humanitarian implications

• China’s growing strategic interest in Rakhine province

• The recent uproar over the so-called ‘humanitarian corridor’ and how it was distorted by political maneuvering and Bangladeshi domestic politics

Further reading

• How China's "debt traps" actually work

  Noah Smith, 2 Oct 2023

• China is backing opposing sides in Myanmar’s civil war

  The Economist, 19 Dec 2023

• How the global south forgot its own birthday

  The Economist, 24 April 2025

• Bangladesh’s new leader dreams big, with China’s backing

  Aidan JonesandRedwan Ahmed, 26 April 2025

• বিএনপি যেমন দিল্লি বা পিন্ডির, তেমনই বেইজিং-ওয়াশিংটনের দাসত্বও চায় না

  সাইমুম পারভেজ interviewed, 6 May 2025