Wa State, located in northeastern Myanmar and about the size of the Chinese city of Kunming, is effectively controlled by a local armed group, the United Wa State Army.
Although it belongs to Myanmar on the surface, the Wa State is actually autonomous.
In many ways, the Wa State has closer ties to neighboring China.
The geographical proximity has allowed the two places to penetrate each other culturally and economically, and the Wa State has become the "Little China" of Myanmar to a certain extent.
How did its founder, Bao Youxiang, make his fortune in such a unique place?
Myanmar's Little China
Located in the northeastern part of Myanmar, Wa is sometimes jokingly referred to as "Shanzhai China".
The name is not unfounded, not only because of the geographical proximity of the Wa State to China, but also because of its profound Chinese influence in its cultural, economic and even political life.
Here, Mandarin Chinese is not only the lingua franca, but also the official language.
The names and operations of the administrative units and bureaucracy closely imitate those of China, from "secretaries" and "offices" to "ministers" and "committees", all of which show their reference to China's administrative system.
Wa's infrastructure development also highlights China's influence.
Most of the basic facilities such as electricity, water supply, and roads are built by Chinese companies, and even the management team of the project is often dispatched by China.
In addition, the mobile phone network is operated by China's state-owned telecommunications company, and the currency in circulation in Wa is the renminbi.
Chinese companies are involved in mining, rubber, tobacco farming, and even supermarkets and hotels, all of which have significantly boosted the Wa state's economic activity and deepened its economic dependence on China.
As the most powerful of Myanmar's many ethnic opposition forces, the UWA stems in part from its unique geopolitical location in the buffer zone between China and Myanmar and opium production in the Golden Triangle.
The opium trade has long been the main source of income for the Wa forces, but over the past decade, opium cultivation has been gradually suppressed under pressure from both the international community and the Chinese government.
In order to adapt to this change, the Wa State has begun to transform, actively developing legal cash crops such as tea, tobacco and rubber, and striving to attract foreign investment, especially from China, to promote the legalization and modernization of the economy.
In this process of transformation, "learning from China" is not only learning from China's development model, but also learning how to coexist with a big country like China.
The modernization process of the Wa State is closely related to China's development, and the relationship between the two is intricate and mutually causal.
The economic and cultural life of the Wa State largely reflects a unique modernity that has been achieved through deep exchanges and cooperation with China.
Bao Youxiang's fortune
When discussing the unique history and culture of Wa State, we cannot but mention "Shanzhai".
In the Wa state, the word is not only a symbol of imitation and borrowing, but also of defensive villages built in the mountains.
Until the early twentieth century, similar cottages were still prevalent in southern China, providing a strong fortress against intrusion for ethnic groups in remote areas.
These villages served as refuge against foreign oppression, and often served as logistical bases for rebel or insurgent forces, who from these heights attacked the surrounding areas in order to assert their autonomy.
Deep in the Awa Mountains, the stockade is surrounded by wooden fences and defensive ditches, constituting a self-sufficient way of life.
People from different tribes lived together in these villages, and sometimes several villages of close proximity would unite to form a larger defensive alliance.
This way of life gradually disappeared until the forties and fifties of the twentieth century, and with the construction of modern states and the strengthening of regional security, these traditional defense structures gradually lost their military value.
The early history of the Wa State is also inseparable from the influence of the Bao family.
Bao Youxiang, the founder of the Wa State, has lived for generations in the Kunma district of the Wa Mountains, an area that has long been part of the undefined border between China and Myanmar.
The four brothers of the Bao family, Bao Youyi, Bao Youxiang, Bao Youliang, and Bao Youhua, went to Beijing with the family elders in the 50s of the 20th century to receive and encourage the state leaders.
It is worth mentioning that Kunma was a sensitive area in the southern section of China and Myanmar until the Sino-Myanmar boundary survey in 1960.
The signing of the 1941 Sino-Burmese Provisional Border Agreement, although not formally demarcated, exposed the fragility of the border areas.
In 1957, the Chinese government chose to withdraw from the "1941 line" in order to avoid a larger regional conflict, a decision that once again left the Kunma region without effective jurisdiction, and the Bao family and local residents experienced many difficulties and challenges during this period.
During World War II, the Chinese Nationalist government, under pressure from the British, had to initialize a temporary border agreement – historically known as the "1941 Line" – in order to prevent the international line of communication between Yunnan and Burma from being cut off by the Japanese.
However, this line has not been officially confirmed and surveyed by both sides.
With the end of the war, the ambiguous state of the 1941 line led to a series of follow-up problems.
In 1957, in consideration of long-term regional security and development, the Chinese government made the decision to withdraw from the line, with the result that the Wa Shan region, including Kunma, fell into anarchy again.
This unexpectedly provided an opportunity for the remnants of the Kuomintang army to take advantage of the hostile forces in the area.
These forces quickly occupied Kunma and plundered the local population, and Bao Yan's family suffered a particularly tragic situation, not only was their belongings looted, but they were forced to flee to Cangyuan County, Yunnan Province, China, for refuge.
In 1960, during the Sino-Burmese border survey and guard operation, the remnants of the Kuomintang suffered a fatal blow.
With the intervention of the United Nations, these remnants were forced to retreat from Kunma, and more than 3,600 people eventually withdrew to Taiwan. The Bao Yanga family was then able to return to their homeland.
Due to the idea that "the Chinese army will not fight across the border" of the remnants of the Kuomintang army, the remnants of the Kuomintang army on the Thai-Burmese border still tried to return and continued to operate in the Wa Mountains in northern Burma.
In June 1966, local unrest prompted Bao Youxiang and the elder Bao Sanban to form a guerrilla force in Kunma.
Since then, a number of guerrilla groups organized by local residents have emerged in the Wa Mountain area, including the Yancheng guerrillas, the Husuan guerrillas, and the Shaopa guerrillas, led by Yan Ken, Yan Kelong, Lu Xingguo, and Zhao Nilai.
The goal of these guerrillas was clear: "to resist oppression and liberate the Wa Mountains".
They are committed to resisting the intrusion of foreign forces, and also fighting for the autonomy and development of the Wa Mountain region.
On March 6, 1966, a sudden conflict broke out again in the Kunma tribe, and more than 1,000 local armed forces led by Zha Chuan united with the remnants of the Kuomintang army.
They destroyed Nishioka, the symbol of the "Meili" faith cherished by the Kunma tribe, and even forced the locals to convert to the "Saimali" they revered.
In the process, the troops who had fallen into the trap looted and slaughtered livestock with impunity, and the scene was chaotic.
The tribal leader of Kunma, Daten, tried to defuse the disaster with reason, and he told the leader of the army that he could arrange food for them, hoping that they would not plunder themselves.
However, Da Gai not only did not say a word, but instead tied up and brutalized Da Teng and more than a dozen other villagers.
What's even more outrageous is that Da Gaishang even insulted Bao Youxiang's mother in public, which is regarded as extremely serious blasphemy and humiliation in the local culture, which greatly angered the bottom line of the Kunma people.
Faced with such humiliation, Bao Youxiang was furious in his heart.
He and his cousin Bao Sanban secretly plotted a counterattack.
They sneak into the haystack outside the stockade, waiting for the perfect moment for revenge.
Finally, when the enemy was in a carefree slaughter of pigs and cattle and busy preparing lunch, Bao Youxiang thought the time was ripe.
He shouted, "The time has come, let's fight!" ”
Although Bao Sanban was initially worried about whether he could really succeed, Bao Youxiang's bravery and determination dispelled all hesitation.
He led the way out of the haystack, followed by several of his companions, and several of his enemies fell to the ground as shots rang out.
Seeing this, Bao Sanban no longer hesitated, and led the other seven people to quickly attack from the other side. This sudden counterattack quickly threw the enemy into chaos.
The enemy knew nothing about the strength and tactics of the Kunma guerrillas, which made them unprepared for the guerrilla raid.
When the guns of the partisans suddenly rang out, the enemy was caught off guard and fell into an extreme panic.
The inhabitants of the stockade, who have long been infringed upon, have a deep hatred for these invaders.
Hearing the gunshots, they picked up their weapons at home and joined the battle in self-defense.
In this chaotic moment, the partisan Bonny Soft behaved exceptionally heroically.
After an enemy who was sitting down to eat was knocked down, he rushed forward without hesitation, slashing his knife open in the chest and brutally churning his heart.
He then ran through the stockade with his blood-stained knife and hands, shouting: "You have heard the gunshots!" We've already started to fight back, look at my hands, it's the blood of the enemy! Let's take action, too! ”
Men, women, and children took up arms and charged at the fleeing enemy.
In the midst of the roar of the Kunma people and the dense gunfire, the enemy had no choice but to flee and scattered into the dense forest.
This victory greatly boosted the morale and size of the Kunma guerrillas.
In the days that followed, the team quickly grew to more than 150 people, with Bao Sanban as the captain, Bao Youxiang as the vice captain, and Bao Youyi in charge of handling political and logistical work.
Soon after, under the joint consultation of Bao Youxiang, Zhao Nilai and others, several squads, including Kunma, Yancheng, Shaopa, and Husuan, were merged to form a guerrilla brigade with more than 300 people and more than 200 guns.
The brigade consisted of five detachments, armed with 150 rifles, 5 machine guns and 15 submachine guns.
Bao Sanban was elected as the captain, and Bao Youxiang served as the deputy captain.
One day in October 1969, the armed forces of Zha Chu and Ma Ha San ambushed the Kunma guerrillas led by Bao Youxiang and brutally cut off the heads of two of the team members.
This incident caused great anger and grief among the troops, and at the same time, it also aroused Bao Youxiang's strong sense of revenge.
Soon after, Bao Youxiang planned and carried out an elaborate ambush.
He chose a strategic point between the Wangleng region and the Yongbang region and carried out a surprise attack on the enemy.
The operation was decisive and brutal, killing 12 enemy fighters on the spot.
In retaliation for his previous atrocities, Bao ordered the heads of four of his enemies to be cut off and displayed in public as a warning to the enemy.
At first, his soldiers were too afraid to carry out this order because of fear, so Bao Youxiang personally went into battle and cut off the first head.
Seeing the determination and courage of the leader, the soldiers then followed up and completed the remaining three.
They hung the four heads on a tree and posted a sign beside them: "Whoever cuts off our heads again, I will cut you ten, and I will cut you a hundred!" ”
Bao Youxiang's image is also demonized among the people, and people describe him as a fierce god with a red beard, green eyes, and green fangs.
Over time, Bao Youxiang and other guerrilla leaders realized that in order to fight more effectively, it was necessary to achieve unity and integration of the guerrillas.
They began to seek cooperation with the Burmese Communist Party, and through reorganization and organizational adjustment, they significantly enhanced the combat effectiveness of the troops in the Wa Shan area.
Between 1972 and 1978, the headquarters of the Northeast Military Region of the Communist People's Army of Burma was gradually relocated to Northern Wa and Bang Kham, achieving strategic unification of the regions.
This series of adjustments provided a solid foundation for the eventual establishment of the Central Headquarters of the Communist Party of Myanmar in Bang Kham.
In 1989, Bao Youxiang and Zhao Nilai and other important figures turned against each other, ending the historical mission of the Communist Party of Burma and opening a new history of Wa State.
This is how Bao Youxiang made his fortune.
Wa State in Progress
In 1996, Bao Youxiang was elected Chairman of the Wa State Government and Minister of Finance, as well as the General Secretary of the United Wa State Party.
It was a year in which Wa State went from a region of turmoil to one of the most powerful political forces in Myanmar.
Bao Youxiang not only holds absolute power politically, but also has extraordinary influence in the military and economic fields.
By 2005, Bao Youxiang had made a major decision - a comprehensive anti-drug campaign.
It's a clean farewell to Wa's dark past as the hub of the Golden Triangle drug trade.
Wa's reputation has long been overshadowed by the drug exchange, but under the leadership of Bao Youxiang, a large-scale anti-drug operation has successfully removed this stain.
This initiative has not only significantly enhanced the international image of Wa, but also greatly improved the living conditions and social security of the local population.
With the help of the international community, especially with the support and cooperation of China, Wa has gradually embarked on the path of formal development.
China has not only provided support for economic construction, but also provided a lot of assistance in technology and education and training, which has greatly contributed to the modernization process of Wa State.
Resources:
Wa State – a "copycat China" on the highlands of Myanmar
Shi Han
"Crossing the Wa State" Fucheng Daoxiang