5/22/25, 12:10 PM Burma Junta Adopts China’s Digital Blueprint for Repression – ENG.MIZZIMA.COM infrastructure. According to Freedom House, China consistently ranks at the bottom of global internet  freedom indexes, and under China’s influence, Myanmar recently scored just 9 out of 100 in internet freedom. Following the 2021 coup, Burma’s military rapidly expanded its grip on the telecom sector, mandating the installation of surveillance systems across all major networks, including state-run MPT, junta-linked MyTel, and Atom (formerly Telenor). While interception systems were quietly introduced at Telenor as early as 2018, the post-coup period saw full compliance become compulsory. Enabled by Chinesemodeled technology, these systems allow authorities to eavesdrop on calls, monitor private messages, and track user locations through cell tower triangulation. This data is routinely used to identify, locate, and arrest dissidents, with coordination between telecom providers, police, and military cyber units ensuring that surveillance feeds directly into repression on the ground. High-level meetings between China’s Ministry of Public Security and Burma’s military officials have focused on strengthening security cooperation and facilitating the rollout of surveillance technologies and training programs across the country. Training sessions on biometric enrollment and UID management systems have been conducted in regions such as Loikaw, Shan State, Magway, and Kayah, equipping local officials with the skills to manage biometric data collection effectively. These efforts align closely with China’s model of digital authoritarianism, where centralized biometric databases and real-time monitoring are used to suppress dissent and control the population. The systems now being implemented in Burma mirror those used in China’s Xinjiang region, where mass surveillance is employed to monitor and repress the Uyghur Muslim minority through facial recognition, biometric tracking, and predictive policing. Registration in Burma’s digital identity system is both mandatory (for many purposes) and dangerous. Under the junta’s surveillance regime, being absent from the system is treated as suspicious, while being registered exposes individuals to constant monitoring and control. In 2023, the military launched a nationwide Unique Identification (UID) system based on a model similar to China’s. While it is not confirmed that the software itself was developed by China, the junta has actively sought Chinese expertise regarding the UID, holding high-level meetings and visiting firms such as Beijing Hisign Technology, which specializes in facial and biometric recognition. The UID initiative is also likely complemented by Chinese surveillance technologies, including AI-equipped CCTV cameras, which expand the system’s capacity for real-time monitoring and data profiling. The UID system collects and links personal and biometric data, including names, addresses, phone numbers, fingerprints, iris scans, palm prints, and facial features, into a centralized database. This data is cross-referenced across platforms such as SIM card registration, financial services, and travel documentation.  The biometric UID is now required for essential services, including passport applications, banking, and border passes. In April 2024, UID registration became mandatory for Temporary Border Passes, and by https://eng.mizzima.com/2025/05/20/22523?fbclid=IwY2xjawKbl-JleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFjWmFDSzNFTk9TMHVQYkpuAR78bcFtc-1UAGkye2oPrpEvu… 3/8