KIA spokesman Colonel Naw Bu told the BBC that China has not pressured the KIA to stop buying rare earths from Kachin State because of the Bhamo offensive.
Reuters earlier reported that the KIA was facing pressure from China to stop buying rare earths from KIA-controlled areas unless the KIA and allied forces stopped their offensive in Bhamo, Kachin State.
KIA spokesman Colonel Naw Bu said on July 9 that China had not contacted the KIA about the border trade or the need to stop the offensive.
A source close to the KIA told the BBC that the KIA had other markets for rare earths besides China.
“There are many ways to sell. India has also contacted KIA to buy rare earths from Myanmar,” the source said.
Meanwhile, some local media outlets are reporting that China has offered to allow the return of border trade routes between the military and the KIA, such as Kan Paing and Phimaw, which are controlled by the KIA, if there is a ceasefire between the military and the KIA.
Some traders told the BBC that there are only some exports from Myanmar and no imports from the Myanmar-China border trade route in Kachin State.
“We do send some goods to China from Phimaw. There have been no imports from China to Myanmar for a long time. Now that it is the rainy season, the roads are rough, so there is hardly any goods to export,” one trader said.
