Myanmar Junta Calls for Peace Talks, China Urges Resolution

Myanmar's military junta has called on ethnic armed groups and the People's Defence Force (PDF) to join peace talks and participate in planned elections, marking its first outreach since the 2021 coup. The junta's offer has been swiftly rejected by the National Unity Government (NUG) and several opposition commanders, who dismissed it as a ploy to improve the junta's international image. This proposal comes as the junta faces significant pressure, having lost control of large parts of the country to resistance forces. China, which has strong economic ties with Myanmar, has urged both sides to resolve their differences and offered to help organize the elections. The civil war, sparked by the coup, has resulted in thousands of deaths and detentions, with the military accused of escalating war crimes. Despite the junta's call for a transition to political processes, the opposition remains skeptical of any election under military rule.