UP TO 50,000 ethnic Chinese refugees have fled over the border from Myanmar to China over the past week amid intensifying fighting between the government and rebels.

Chinese authorities in Yunnan province have been caring for the Kokang migrants, providing food and medical care.

The Kokang region in Myanmar has been wracked by fighting between the rebel Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army and government forces for the past week.

The rebel group’s general secretary Htun Myat Lin said the fighters are seeking autonomy for Kokang and its ethnic Han Chinese people.

“We want to have a high degree of autonomy where we can manage our own affairs, but we do not wish to split the country of Myanmar,” Htun said.

Htun complained that ethnic Chinese people are treated as second-class citizens. “Our ethnicity must have dignity,” he said.

Myanmar only recently emerged from a half-century of military rule. Since assuming power in 2011, the government of President Thein Sein has been trying to strike peace agreements with rebels in resource-rich border regions.

Though preliminary pacts have been reached with most of the ethnic groups, clashes occasionally occur with Kachin, Shan and elsewhere.

In addition to control over jade, timber and other natural resources in areas under their control, they want assurances that they will have some say over future troop movements.