Several Chinese citizens critically injured as Myanmar’s artillery shells land in Yunnan province (Watch)

Beijing condemned the artillery strike from Myanmar in strong words that struck Nanshan in the Yunnan province. A video has also gone viral where the artillery shells can be seen striking civilians and injuring several people on a road.

An artillery strike from the Myanmar side resulted in the severe injury of Chinese citizens on Wednesday. Stray artillery shells landed in the Chinese city of Nanshan in the Yunnan province causing panic among the local Chinese residents. A video of the same has been making rounds on social media. 

China’s Foreign Ministry lodged its anger over the incident against the Junta government of Myanmar. The stray attack according to China’s Foreign Ministry resulted in severe injury to five Chinese citizens in Nanshan. Myanmar for months has been grappling with a violent period due to infighting. 

The military junta and rebel groups have engaged themselves in a violent conflict in the Northern part of Myanmar. The military junta that overthrew a democratically elected government of Myanmar is now facing rebellion from many unsatisfied groups, especially on the Northern side near the China border.

The stray artillery shells that landed in China on Wednesday were misguided by the rebel groups or the military junta. Though, artillery shells have been launched at the border areas in the past couple of months but this is the first instance when artillery shells have landed inside China. The Wednesday attack resulted in five injuries on China’s side which were mostly civilians.

On the incident, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said, “China strongly deplores the Chinese casualties caused by the conflict and has already lodged serious representations with the relevant parties. China once again asks all parties to the conflict to cease fire and stop fighting and take measures to prevent the recurrence of such vicious incidents. China would take the necessary steps to safeguard the lives and property of its citizens.”

China – Myanmar relations have gradually declined since last year despite a friendly and pro-China Junta government in Myanmar. The constant infighting in various parts of the South Asian nation has led to destabilization in the region. Though Beijing tried to act as a mediator and facilitate talks between various stakeholders but that has amounted to nothing so far.