"...Recent clashes in Shan State between the Burma Army and the Myanmar National Democracy Alliance Army (MNDAA or Kokang) have highlighted differences between the ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) and the ethnic ceasefire groups as the 2010 election approaches. Attempts by the SPDC to persuade the ceasefire groups to transform themselves into Border Guard Forces or surrender their arms and contest the forthcoming elections as a political party seem to have failed. Ostensibly, the SPDC is trying pressure the groups to conform to its 2008 Constitution, which states in Chapter VII Clause 338, Defense Services, that ?…all armed forces in the union shall be under the command of the defense services”. Faced with a forthcoming constitutional dilemma the regime had little option but to seek an alternative in dealing with the ceasefire groups. Mindful of China?s influence and support for these groups, and also its need to legitimize its actions..."