Yunnan and Myanmar Part 2: The Ruili Connection - By: Tyler Whitney 1 entities, networks are dynamic; they change based on Yunnan and Myanmar Part things like investment and development. The billions of dollars China has spent investing in economic networks 2: The Ruili Connection in a broad project called the 'Belt and Road Initiative' underscores the eminent position these networks hold By: Tyler Whitney in geopolitics. Among other projects in the region, China is backing an expensive and ambitious railway line from 01/18/2020 Muse to Mandalay, Myanmar's second most populace city. This railway would in effect connect Kunming (the capital of Yunnan province), to Mandalay, and thereby connect Mandalay to large sections of China's economy. Networks are the routes that flows travel along. Much like a network of rivers carries water, geopolitical networks can carry anything ranging from goods and people to ideas. Identifying the flow of a network is one way to understand it and what it represents for the relationship between the states participating in the network. The nature of the CMEC as having a primarily economic flow indicates a relationship based on economic interests. However, another flow from China into Myanmar is that of military Yinjing Station, a connection point on the China-Myanmar supplies. This flow of military aid denotes a relationship border grounded in security interests, one where China's security is greater when Myanmar's military is stronger. By: Tyler Whitney The China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC) plays an important role in the economic relationship between Yunnan, (China's southwest province) and the country of Myanmar. While the CMEC is often referred to as a network in progress, the framework of a geopolitically functional network is already in place. Conceptualizing networks is an important part of understanding geopolitics. Geopolitics feature a wide variety of networks. A network is a collection of points (or nodes) serving one or more purposes, each node contributing to the overall function of the network. Economic networks hold a prominent place in geopolitics, because they cross boundaries and link two places together. When we find ourselves faced with such networks, we can ask, "what are the nodes, and what do they do?" This helps us understand the network as a whole. While there are many nodes in the CMEC, three were designated by the Myanmar Ministry of Commerce as 'core zones.' These core zones, (the Myanmar cities of Muse, Chin Shwe Haw, and Kan Pite Tee), will have special rules that facilitate the function of the CMEC. These include duty-free hotels, factories, banks, and concessions. The aim is to attract investors from Myanmar, and limit foreign investment in these core zones without inhibiting economic growth. Note that all three of these core zones share a boundary with China. Each node shares a Chinese counterpart. Ruili, the counterpart to Muse, acts as a gateway from Yunnan into Myanmar and vice-versa. Like other geopolitical.