China has helped broker an agreement between Myanmar and Kachin -ethnic rebel leaders to halt hostilities after weeks of fighting displaced tens of thousands of Kachin civilians.

In talks yesterday in the Chinese border town of Ruili in southwest Yunnan province, the two sides also agreed to discuss ways to monitor the ceasefire in their next round of talks, to be held within weeks.

From late December, Myanmar’s military used air power and artillery to strike at rebel positions close to their headquarters in Laiza, near the Sino-Myanmar border. Up to 100,000 villagers have fled their homes – mainly in rebel-controlled areas – for overcrowded camps since a 17-year ceasefire broke down in mid-2011, shortly after Thein Sein became Myanmar president.