China’s sham election: Why Beijing is propping up Myanmar’s brutal junta episode artwork

EPISODE · Jan 21, 2026 · 35 MIN

China’s sham election: Why Beijing is propping up Myanmar’s brutal junta

from Iran: The Latest

After five years of brutal civil war, Myanmar’s ruling military is holding an election that many say is a sham.But it has a major backer: China. So why is Beijing suddenly interested in democracy in this conflict-stricken country?Venetia Rainey and Arthur Scott-Geddes speak to the Telegraph’s Global Health Security correspondent Sarah Newey about her recent trip to Yangon and Joe Freeman, researcher for Amnesty International. Read Sarah's dispatch: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/terror-and-security/why-china-is-forcing-myanmars-junta-to-stage-an-election/Watch Sarah talking about scam centres in Laos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nRBG037FT0Producer: Sophie O'SullivanExecutive Producer: Louisa WellsStudio Operator: Meghan Searle► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditorContact us with feedback or ideas:[email protected]@venetiarainey@ascottgeddes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Jan 21, 2026

Embed this episode

NOW PLAYING

China’s sham election: Why Beijing is propping up Myanmar’s brutal junta

0:00 35:55

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Iran: The Latest?

This episode is 35 minutes long.

When was this Iran: The Latest episode published?

This episode was published on January 21, 2026.

Can I download this Iran: The Latest episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!