China backs Myanmar’s attacks on Rohingyas, by Reuters.

China has endorsed Myanmar’s offensive against Rohingya Muslim insurgents despite the UN secretary-general saying the operation, which has forced almost 400,000 people to flee to Bangladesh, is best described as “ethnic cleansing”.

The Myanmar military offensive in the western state of Rakhine was triggered by a series of guerilla attacks on August 25 on security posts and an army camp in which about a dozen people were killed.

“The stance of China regarding the terrorist attacks in Rakhine is clear: it is just an internal affair,” the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper quoted Chinese ambassador Hong Liang telling top officials. “The counter-attacks of Myanmar security forces against extremist terrorists and the government’s undertakings to provide assistance to the people are strongly welcomed.”

hat-tip Stephen Neil