Indeed, the presence of ethnic Chinese in Mandalay has been growing rapidly. Now the whole town is Chinatown. The Chinese have bought property all over. Nor are the new arrivals just an urban phenomenon. After two years of flooding in southern China, many farmers there have moved across the ill-controlled border into northern Myanmar.
Estimates run from hundreds of thousands to well over a million during the period.
It has also made locals increasingly unhappy with both the migrants and the ruling junta in Yangon. For that, the Burmese people can never forgive them. Even so, the influx is occurring in border areas Yangon scarcely controls. Most affected are Kokang district and regions of northern Shan state run by former insurgents now in fragile ceasefire accords with the junta. The going rate for a Wa guard to look the other way is RMB 5,000, while another 5,000 can buy identity documents.