The Kokang King of Northern Myanmar, Peng Jiasheng, carries two identities behind a name, on the one hand, it is the honorific title of the Kokang King, and on the other hand, it is the label of the third largest drug lord in the Golden Triangle.
This complex and contradictory identity makes it impossible to dive deeper into his story.
In the early days of Peng Jiasheng's rise to power, the Kokang region was impoverished and burdened with heavy burdens, making it difficult to pay for or even maintain military expenses.
So, in order to maintain local stability, he was forced to choose a seemingly difficult path - to feed the army with poison and reduce the burden on the common people. As a result, the Kokang region experienced a period of subsistence from drug trafficking, while at the same time, local finances improved dramatically, and the four major families prospered.
However, this short-term economic improvement comes with long-term pitfalls.
Drug abuse has endangered not only the Kokang region, but also the entire Southeast Asian region, and even threatened the tranquility of China's Yunnan border. As a result, Peng Jiasheng's name was gradually listed by the International Drug Control Agency as one of the top ten drug lords in the world.
Influenced by international pressure and China's strong attitude to crack down on drugs, Peng Jiasheng felt tremendous pressure from the outside world.
Myanmar, where the Kokang region is located, has been politically unstable, with only one province from China's Yunnan province. Although the outside world has mixed reviews of Peng Jiasheng, it is undeniable that he has brought earth-shaking changes to the common people of Kokang.
As the first person to sign a 20-year peace agreement with the Myanmar Army, he is also an advocate of comprehensive anti-drug control in the Kokang Autonomous Region.
Today, Peng Jiasheng's son, Peng Deren, has inherited his father's business and has become the commander-in-chief of the Kokang Alliance.
He led the allied army to the north and made outstanding contributions to the rescue of Chinese compatriots and the fight against telecommunications fraud.
The names of the father and son not only represent a complex history, but also convey their responsibilities and responsibilities to the local people.