China's Ethnic-policy Balancing Act

Kokang: Photo from another Irrawaddy article

Some observers see the autonomous regions of China's ethnic groups as a potential model that could be emulated in Burma, but so far such an approach has gained little interest within the junta.
China has its own ethnic Kachin, Wa, Kokeng and Shan living in Yunnan Province who enjoy greater freedoms that their fellow ethnics living in Burma, who are still treated like  third-class citizens .
Also, as a potential model for Burma, China has experimented with political and social reforms to stimulate economic development, while Burma’s generals are still living in the 19th century with a dormant economy.

 http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=19788