Why are Myanmar’s anti-coup protesters angry at China?
- Chinese-run factories were attacked on Sunday, amid an ongoing crackdown on anti-coup protesters
- Many protesters believe China supports the military and that security forces and other agitators carried out the destruction to incite more trouble
The township on the western edge of Yangon is one of the largest and most populated in the country, its 67 square kilometres teeming with almost 700,000 residents, nearly half of whom work in its 850 or so factories. Many of those workers migrated from the countryside, seeking an escape from poverty, only to find that city life had dangers of its own.
In the past these workers have described a township of fear, beyond police control, where violent crimes such as rape and knifepoint robberies are common. In the first nine months of 2019, nearly one in five of the 116 murders that occurred in Yangon took place in Hlaingthaya.
In another Yangon township, Shwepyithar, a further six protesters were shot, adding to a total civilian death toll of more than 100 since the junta seized power.
Following the deaths, angry mobs armed with iron bars, axes and petrol set fire to 32 Chinese-backed factories in the townships, causing US$37 million in damage and injuring two employees, according to China’s Global Times tabloid.
