China assisting Myanmar army to build internet firewall, has potential access into junta's sensitive information: Report

Myanmar's junta is currently superior in terms of firepower and arms when compared to the rising groups against it in the country following the February coup. But Tatmadaw is still behind in technological and digital advancement, therefore its atrocities against civilians are spread in minutes worldwide through the internet and social media platforms.

But now Tatmadaw has planned to widen its curbs on the digital platforms and therefore it has turned towards China, seeking Beijing's help to build an internet firewall to prevent such damning text, images and videos from reaching both global and local online audiences.

China's role is being watched closely in helping Myanmar's military regime develop its online blocking and snooping capabilities since the February 1 coup, according to Asian security officials who communicated with Asia Times.

The cooperative effort, they say, aims to implement effective control over what can and cannot be accessed online in Myanmar, similar to the "Great Firewall of China" that Beijing has used for years to repressive effect to police the online activities of dissidents and ferret out anonymous and pseudonymous critics, said Asia Times.

However the concerning facts are emerging, which Tatmadaw is unable to figure out, is that Chinese agencies which are helping the junta are simultaneously able to tap into the Tatmadaw's military computers and potentially access and collect sensitive information in the construction process, experts monitoring the situation say.

China, they say, has plenty of incentive to tap into the Tatmadaw information streams after vacillating hot and cold relations and years of mutual suspicion on a range of sensitive security issues, according to Asia Times. (ANI)