Burma and Beijing -- comment I left on Irrawaddy site

Some old and new news --

In 1970s in Burma, a niece of Ne Win's told me that when U Ne Win went to then Peking, he sat down to a formal dinner and was really surprised to see Ba Thein Tin seated next to him.

Of course now China since 1978 and Deng Xioaping has not supported the BCP(Bakapa).

This Friday there is a seminar at School of Advanced International Studies in DC where Gambari, Scott Marciel, David Steinberg, Khin Zaw Win and a Dr. Zhai Khin from Beijing are going to speak. I hope Irrawaddy will cover this.

It may be connected to so-called Yunnan Initiative, but I am not sure.

What I am sure of is if Burma were to adopt economic reforms like those instituted by Deng in 1978, with Special Economic Zones and farmers owning their land, it would also enjoy Chinese-style economic growth, much more than lifting sanctions ever could.

People would have factory work and more food -- but to have a stop to human rights abuses will take real political reform.

Kyi May Kaung (Ph.D.)