"Much has been reported on the recent release of the two Reuters journalists in Myanmar. Whilst the focus has been on issues of press freedom, many commentators have not evaluated the international response to the release. In my view, the response by the likes of Europe, USA, China and Russia, is an indicator of the growing geo-political tensions within the Asian region. More importantly, it highlights the potential that Myanmar has to unify China and Russia’s stance against what they view as the USA’s geo-political and ideological threat. This Sino-Russia unification is being facilitated by developments along the China Belt Road Initiative (BRI), in which the China Myanmar Economic Corridor is playing an increasing role. As mentioned in earlier articles, Myanmar and the port of Kyauk Phyu, provides China with a solution for energy and trade security by allowing China to bypass the Malacca Straits. It also shifts the previous relations between China, Russia and Myanmar from being military in design to that built around trade. This is in direct contrast to the US and UN pushing for more sanctions against Myanmar over what they see as human rights violations. Exacerbating this divide, is that the call for increased sanctions comes at a time when Myanmar is further opening its economy through regulatory change..."