Maung Saga, Narinjara News, 8 April, 2025 

Chairman U Htein Lin of the Rakhine State Military Council visited Chinese projects in Kyaukphyu Township, Rakhine State, currently being targeted by the AA, and conducted a prompt assessment of the security conditions. 

A regional source near the junta government informed Narinjara that during the visit of the Rakhine state PM, he spoke with local military officials and Chinese representatives about the initiative to improve security for all projects associated with the Chinese government. 

U Htein Lin toured the 135-megawatt natural gas and waste heat power plant project in Gong Chuen Village, Kyaukphyu Township on April 3, reviewing the project's progress, as reported by the military council’s MRTV news agency on April 6. 

U Htein Lin toured China's Natural Gas and Oil Pipeline Project in Ma Day Island, Kyaukphyu Township on April 4 and held discussions with Chinese project officials in the meeting room of the Oil and Gas Pipeline Project Office. 

In the evening, he gathered with district and township officials at the State Military Council Hall located in Kyaukphyu Town. 

Since last February, the Arakan Army (AA) and junta forces have been engaged in combat in Kyaukphyu Township, where Chinese projects are situated. 

On April 5, the AA reported that junta forces had targeted Tha Phong Taung Village, Pyay Taung Village, and Pyin Sya Village in Kyaukphyu Township with artillery and drones on April 2, prior to U Htein Lin, the Chairman of the Rakhine State Military Council, visiting Kyaukphyu. 

The Danyawaddy Naval Base (the largest naval facility along the Arakan coast), Police Battalion No. (32), and ground forces assaulted numerous villages with around (90) drone attacks and over (60) artillery strikes on just April 2, as stated by AA. 

At a meeting in Nay Pyi Taw last March, the junta Vice Chairman, Lt. Gen. Soe Win, called for the successful completion of the deep-sea port in the special economic zone of Kyaukphyu Township. 

At the behest of Lieutenant General Soe Win, the Vice Chairman of the Military Council, U Htein Lin, Chairman of the Rakhine State Military Council, traveled to Kyaukpyu Township to evaluate the projects where the Chinese initiatives are situated. 

The Military Council is reported to have dispatched a significant number of private Chinese security guards to Kyaukpyu Township to protect the Chinese projects in that area. 

As per a trustworthy source, the security team's Chinese specialists are assisting junta forces with technical support, particularly in drone operations and IT matters for attacks against AA