| Sumario: | The global expansion of authoritarianism as a political system has fuelled debate on the role of major authoritarian powers in promoting authoritarianism beyond their borders. China is widely regarded as a significant player in promoting authoritarianism and disrupting democracy abroad. This study explores this assumption by examining China's policy towards Myanmar across economic, military, political and diplomatic sectors. Covering three decades in bilateral relations, this study traces continuity and change in China's relation vis-à-vis changes in Myanmar's political orientation. Over these three decades, China's policy—spanning Myanmar's transition from military rule to democracy and subsequent return to military rule—reveals remarkable continuity that remains unaffected by the type of political regime in Myanmar. This finding challenges the dominant assumption—pervasive in the literature that informs policymaking in Western capitals—that views China as a leading actor in promoting autocracy. This study reveals a pragmatic strategy in Beijing focused on securing China's security and economic interests, where ideological considerations do not occupy the assumed prime of place.
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