China prods Burma on border clash

China has asked Burma to resolve a conflict between Burmese forces and an ethnic militia that has sent thousands of refugees across the Chinese border.

Officials in China's south-west Yunnan province say 10,000 people are in emergency camps after fleeing fighting.

China's foreign ministry urged Burma to safeguard stability in the border area and protect the rights of Chinese citizens living there.

The move is a rare admonishment of the Burmese junta by long-time ally China.

Tensions between rebels and government troops in the Burmese border region are said to be "extremely high".

Regional threat

China hopes Burma can "properly deal with its domestic issue to safeguard the regional stability in the... border area", said foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu.

"We also urge Myanmar to protect the security and legal rights of Chinese citizens in Myanmar [Burma]."

Hundreds of Burmese troops are reported to have moved into the largely ethnic Chinese Kokang region of Shan, a state in the north-east, this month.

Burma's junta is said to be putting pressure on the ethnic rebel groups to join the government's "border guard forces" ahead of next year's polls.

But one of the rebel groups - a breakaway faction of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army - has resisted, saying it is an attempt to neutralise its influence on the elections.

Burma is scheduled to hold elections in May 2010 but critics say there is little chance they will be free and fair.