The Special Advisory Council for Myanmar (SAC-M) has released a report revealing that China South Industries Group Corporation, a Chinese state-owned company, is providing assistance for aerial bomb production at the military council’s Defense Products Industry (DI-21) factory. According to the investigation, a Chinese state-owned company is helping produce aerial bombs for the Myanmar military at a secret weapons factory in central Myanmar, and the bombs produced at DI-21 are being used by the Myanmar military to conduct airstrikes against civilians.
The SAC-M report, titled ‘Factory of Death,’ details how China’s support for Myanmar military’s aerial bomb production is being facilitated through China South Industries Group Corporation’s subsidiary, Hunan Vanguard. The report emphasizes that this company plays a crucial role in the production of aerial bombs at DI-21 factory. This involvement is reportedly occurring with the Chinese government’s approval. The investigation confirms that Hunan Vanguard has been the primary provider of production support and assistance for DI-21, including technical expertise and manufacturing support.
Located in the Magway Region of central Myanmar, DI-21 produces the majority of aerial bombs for the military, manufacturing bombs ranging from 250 to 500 pounds, as well as powerful Fuel Air Explosive (FAE) bombs. Technical experts from Hunan Vanguard provided hands-on technical assistance for bomb production at DI-21 between 2014 and 2019. Additionally, military engineers from DI-21 visited Hunan Vanguard’s production facilities in China between 2015 and 2019 for practical weapons manufacturing training. China South has continued to provide remote technical assistance to DI-21 staff through Hunan Vanguard since 2019.
While the Myanmar military has constructed 25 DI factories to achieve self-sufficiency in weapons production, evidence obtained by SAC-M confirms that DI remains entirely dependent on foreign supplies, particularly microelectronics, for continuous production of aerial bombs. The SAC-M has called on China to immediately cease all weapons, ammunition, technical, and production assistance to the military regime, emphasizing that such support cannot save the military council and that disrupting aerial bomb production at DI-21 is crucial for saving civilian lives.
