Chinese state-owned companies and criminal networks have taken advantage of Myanmar’s political instability and conflict to extract rare earth minerals and other valuable resources. The gold mine in Karen State, which came under Chinese control last year, exemplifies this trend of resource exploitation during the country’s turmoil.
This situation has raised concerns about the environmental impact and the lack of oversight in Myanmar’s resource extraction sector. International observers are monitoring the situation closely, as the extraction of these minerals is critical for technology manufacturing and could have global economic implications.