An alliance of some ethnic groups in the border area of northern Myanmar's Shan state launched a series of surprise attacks on Myanmar military outposts and police stations on Sunday morning. The clash between the armed attackers and security personnel has killed at least eight people and injured 29 - nine policemen, two customs officers and 18 civilians.

Lodging representations with Myanmar after a Chinese national was hit by a stray bullet, China has urged all parties in the conflict to exercise restraint to prevent the situation from escalating further.

Judging by their combat capabilities and weapons in their possession, neither the government troops nor the ethnic armies seem capable of winning this conflict. They are more likely to be locked in a long-drawn confrontation. The new round of intense fighting points to a sore point in Myanmar's political dilemma - ethnic problems are far from being settled even after Aung San Suu Kyi's party assumed the highest office.