The army has denied reports of arresting the Myanmar junta chief

 Myanmar's junta chief Min Aung Hlaing has been detained by top generals of the country's army, a report has spread. The country's army said in a statement on Wednesday that this news spread on social media yesterday is not correct.

Terming the news of the arrest of the junta chief as 'disinformation', the army statement said that this disinformation is being carried out to destroy the peace and stability of the country. The head of state and the authorities are unitedly fulfilling their responsibilities towards the country. The statement termed those who were sharing the news of the arrest of the junta chief as 'traitors'.

The post that spread on social media yesterday claimed that top generals detained the junta leader Min Aung Hlaing in the capital Nay Pyi Taw. He was arrested to change the top leadership of the junta.

Junta forces have recently lost control of some areas to Myanmar's ethnic minority armed groups following a 2021 military coup. The army has been under criticism from supporters for some time.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is scheduled to visit Myanmar on Wednesday. As of writing this report, it was not confirmed whether he reached Myanmar or not. Wang is scheduled to meet with junta chief Min Aung Hlaing during the visit.

China is one of the biggest supporters of Myanmar's junta government. The country is the largest arms supplier to the junta. But analysts say China also has ties to Myanmar's ethnic minority armed groups on its border.

In recent weeks, an alliance of Myanmar's armed groups has seized control of northern Shan State. China's Yunnan Province borders Shan State.

The territory the armed groups have seized in Shan State includes the Myanmar Army's military command of the northeastern city of Lashio. The population of the city is about 1 lakh 50 thousand.

This is the first time since the 2021 military coup that a regional command of the Myanmar Army has been deposed. Junta-sympathetic sections of the population are also criticizing top generals after the military command was lost.

The country's then foreign minister Qin Gang visited Myanmar last May as a top Chinese official. He then met with the junta chief Min Aung Hlaing.

A Myanmar military official said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is visiting Myanmar, will not meet with the ousted and detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.