The US reopening of a cultural center in Myanmar’s second-largest city signals Washington’s bid to counter China’s influence through soft power diplomacy.
Key takeaways:
-
The US reopening of the Jefferson Center in Mandalay demonstrates its strategic adjustment to rebuild influence in Myanmar through informal channels while maintaining sanctions.
-
The choice of Mandalay, where Chinese influence is strongest, reflects the US determination to compete with China in Myanmar and the whole Indo-Pacific.
-
The low-key approach to the reopening signals a new trend in great power competition in the region, shifting from traditional hard power confrontation toward soft power penetration and strategic hedging.
On October 23, 2024, the US government quietly reopened the Jefferson Cultural Center in Mandalay, a cornerstone of America’s soft power outreach in Upper Myanmar after it first opened in 2008. The ceremony was presided over by Ms. Susan Nan Stevenson, Acting Head of the US Embassy in Myanmar, and was attended by three other embassy officials, the head of the temporary library, and other invited guests, totaling about 50 people. Focusing on cultural exchange, language education, and youth programs, the center promoted American cultural values and democratic principles among Myanmar’s youth. It gave opportunities for hundreds of Burmese to study in the US, many of whom have gone on to become leaders in civil society.
Following Myanmar’s transition to democracy in 2011, the Center significantly expanded its activities. It began hosting over 50 major events annually, ranging from social advocacy initiatives to youth education programs and cultural exhibitions, cementing its role as a vital platform for engagement and exchange in the region.
However, in March 2020, the Center closed its doors because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Eleven months later, a coup by the Myanmar military led to the freezing of US-Myanmar relations, with Washington imposing severe economic sanctions and suspending its humanitarian and development programs.
Back in September 2023, the United States signaled it would be open to reopening of the center. At the time, Acting US Ambassador to Burma Stevenson posted on social media that“We look forward to reopening the Jefferson Center when conditions are right to serve the people of Mandalay and all of Burma. Your voices, perspectives, and ideas are critical to Burma’s democratic future”. A year later, in October 2024, the Jefferson Cultural Center opened its doors again without much fanfare. The decision suggests that Washington is attempting a two-track policy: isolating the military regime while attempting to rebuild ties with Burmese society through informal channels.
China’s multifaceted influence in Mandalay
The most prominent area of Chinese influence in Myanmar is economic cooperation, in which Mandalay plays a key role. As the second largest city in Myanmar, Mandalay is not only an important hub for China-Myanmar trade, but also a central node of the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor. The city is closely connected to China’s Yunnan Province by land and has developed into a major distribution center for Chinese goods in Myanmar. In recent years, large-scale Chinese investments have further enhanced Mandalay’s strategic position. Landmark projects such as the ongoing construction of the China-Myanmar Railway, the Mandalay Industrial Park, and the logistics network connecting Kyaukpyu Port all highlight China’s growing economic influence in the region. In addition, Mandalay is an important base for the China-Myanmar oil and gas pipeline and hydropower projects, demonstrating its strategic value in the layout of China’s investment in Myanmar. These projects have not only transformed Mandalay’s economic landscape but have also made it one of the symbols of China-Myanmar cooperation.
Mandalay also represents the frontier of cultural influence. The city is home to one of Myanmar’s largest Chinese communities, which has established deep business networks and social bonds through generations of engagement. In recent years, China has expanded its soft power in the Mandalay region by establishing Chinese language schools and cultural activities, while strengthening ties with the local Chinese community. Some scholars point out that China has been able to expand its influence in Burma because of US sanctions.
US policy shift: From isolation to strategic engagement
Over the past three and a half years, the United States has demonstrated limited results or influence in the conflict in Burma. As Myanmar scholar Dr. Mimi Wyn Bird puts it, this approach reflects a major US foreign policy failure, or at least a “strategic blind spot”.
Ongoing developments suggest a potential shift in US policy toward Burma, as the United States continues to pursue a multi-layered diplomatic strategy. This approach was exemplified by a high-level meeting in Vietnam in June 2024 between US Assistant Secretary of State Kritenbrink and Burma’s military representative, Colonel Kyaw Lin Zaw. Subsequently, the US State Department reiterated its policy stance, stating that it would continue to engage with the junta through multiple diplomatic channels. Notably, the US side emphasized four core demands: stopping the violent repression of civilians, releasing political prisoners, ensuring the smooth flow of humanitarian aid, and resuming the democratic process. While recent developments indicate adjustments in how the United States engages with the junta, this statement highlights the enduring core principles guiding its policy toward Myanmar, such as the commitment to democratic governance and human rights. This statement not only reflects the strategic positioning of the United States, but also shows the continuity of its policy towards Myanmar.
In contrast to China’s focus on economic engagement and infrastructure investment, the United States has chosen a strategic path of “soft engagement”. This approach deliberately avoids confrontational strategies, focusing instead on maintaining U.S. influence in Burmese society through cultural diplomacy and civic engagement. Although the COVID-19 pandemic and the civil war have severely affected official relations between the two countries, the US remains committed to soft power diplomacy to deepen its ties with Burmese civil society, especially the younger generation. The reopening of the Jefferson Cultural Center is a concrete manifestation of this strategy.
From a broader geopolitical perspective, this soft engagement strategy has multiple strategic implications: first, it avoids direct conflict with the junta while maintaining informal channels of communication; second, it preserves strategic maneuvering space for the US in the China-Burma rivalry; and, finally, it allows the US to maintain a long-term influence in the region. This strategic balance reflects both the flexibility of US diplomacy and its strategic depth in the Indo-Pacific region.
Beyond reopening: Testing waters for future engagement
The cultural center’s schedule of activities since reopening in October is particularly noteworthy. Language courses and art exhibitions dominate the timetable, thus appealing to Mandalay’s youths while emphasizing the non-politicized nature of the outreach. At the same time, the lowkey communication by the US embassy in Yangon about the reopening—limited social media content and selective invitations to the reopening ceremony— suggests it was a well-planned operation to test the junta’s response. The fact that the junta even permitted the center to reopen suggests some pragmatism on its part. Given that Myanmar has faced an economic crisis since the coup, and targeted sanctions have been imposed on senior junta officials, perhaps this was one instance of the regime trying to engage with the West.
What’s worth watching out for in the future is whether the United States will attempt to replicate this lowkey relaunch of Jefferson Cultural Center in other strategically important areas of the country. Perhaps, in the context of the deepening of the great-power game between the US and China, including in countries like Myanmar, this was just the first step. The US approach might also see significant changes under the new Trump administration, which could lead to a more proactive engagement via other means.
During his first term (2017–2021), President Trump took a more transactional approach to foreign policy and was notably assertive in countering China’s global influence. Should this approach continue or intensify, Washington might shift from its traditional emphasis on democratic governance and human rights to a more pragmatic engagement with Myanmar’s military regime, provided it serves broader US strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific. Conversely, the Trump administration could also double down on sanctions or confrontational strategies aimed at Beijing’s foothold in Myanmar, depending on the administration’s overall stance toward China. In either scenario, the “Trump factor” underscores the fluidity of US policy and signals that the competition for influence in Myanmar may enter a new phase, one marked by an even sharper focus on geopolitical rivalry with China.
