Li reinforces tough stance on Myanmar bombing

China has "both the responsibility and ability" to safeguard the stability of its border areas with Myanmar, Premier Li Keqiang said on Sunday.

He was reinforcing Beijing's strong response to a fatal bombing incident in China by a warplane from Myanmar.

"What happened was deeply distressing," said Li when answering a final, but highly anticipated, question at a news conference at the end of the annual national legislative session.

"We have the responsibility and ability to firmly safeguard stability in the border areas between the two countries and protect the lives and property of our people," he said.

Li's remarks came after the Chinese Foreign Ministry and military reacted strongly to Myanmar after a warplane crossed the border on Friday and dropped a bomb that killed four Chinese in Lincang, Yunnan province.

Since Feb 9, Myanmar government forces have been battling a local ethnic militia, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, in the Kokang region of Myanmar's northeastern state of Shan, which borders Yunnan.

Heavy fighting has escalated mostly within Myanmar, but stray fire has caused casualties and property losses for Chinese people and more than 30,000 people have fled from Myanmar into Yunnan.

Warplanes from Myanmar had crossed the border "multiple times", and China would take "decisive measures" should they cross over again, Ministry of National Defense spokesman Geng Yansheng said on Saturday.

On Friday, China's air force sent fighter jets to "track, monitor, warn and chase away" military planes from Myanmar flying close to the border.

The two countries share a 2,000-km border, much of which is in remote areas and hard to access.

An analyst in Beijing, who preferred to remain anonymous, said that to ensure the stability of Sino-Myanmar relations, government and ethnic forces in Myanmar should stop the conflict and deliver a clear investigation result to the Chinese people and government.

He said it is difficult to know how the incident occurred, but both sides are willing to cool the situation and minimize damage.

During a phone call with the Myanmar military on Saturday, Fan Changlong, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, urged Myanmar to investigate the incident seriously, punish those responsible and apologize to the victims' families and compensate them.

Min Aung Hlaing, commander-in-chief of the Myanmar Defense Services, assured Fan that Myanmar will send personnel to investigate the incident jointly with China.

zhaoshengnan@chinadaily.com.cn