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US-Myanmar Commercial Relations: the Next Phase

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US-Myanmar Commercial Relations: the Next Phase 1 U.S.–MYANMAR COMMERCIAL RELATIONS: THE NEXT PHASE | JUNE 2016 JUNE 2016 US—Myanmar Commercial Relations: THE NEXT PHASE TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 Foreword 4 Executive Summary 6 Acknowledgements 7 SECTION I: Remaining Sanctions and Restrictions on U.S. Companies 17 SECTION II: Sectoral Issues and Challenges 41 SECTION III: U.S. Investment Produces Positive Outcomes 2 U.S.–MYANMAR COMMERCIAL RELATIONS: THE NEXT PHASE | JUNE 2016 Despite the easing, some important sanctions remain in place, and the difficulties of oper- ating in the market are substantial. Moreover, Myanmar’s economic reform agenda – which spans areas from financial sector development to land reform - is vast. For all these reasons, trade and investment levels between Myanmar and the United States are modest. In 2015, US exports to Myanmar were $227 million, and im- ports were $144 million. Myanmar government data show that total approved U.S. investment in the country is $248 million (nearly all of which went into the country prior to the imposition of sanctions), while that from China is $18 billion. Singapore and Hong Kong have $13 billion and $7 billion invested in the country, respectively. U.S. investment in Myanmar is well below 1% of TAMI OVERBY total foreign investment in the country. Senior Vice President, Asia Growing U.S.-Myanmar trade and investment U.S. Chamber of Commerce will be important to improving the livelihoods of the people of Myanmar. How we do that is the question this paper attempts to address. In light of Myanmar’s political progress, the FOREWORD U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and the U.S. business community broadly, have advocated U.S.-Myanmar Commercial Relations have ad- for the normalization of the relationship, includ- vanced significantly over the past four years. ing the removal of economic sanctions. Our During this period, the United States eased view is that U.S. engagement in the country of a number of sanctions against Myanmar, helps the people of Myanmar, and will support including those on new investment and the Myanmar’s economic growth and develop- export of financial services, and lifted a blan- ment. Myanmar certainly wants U.S. companies ket import ban. The United States appointed in the market, recognizing that they bring high a full Ambassador in 2012 for the first time in standards in terms of corporate governance, 22 years, and USAID, OPIC, Ex-Im Bank, and human resource development, labor practices, other agencies are now active in the country. environmental stewardship, CSR, and in other Multilateral development bank lending is flow- areas. ing, and many countries have increased their A quick look at Myanmar’s next-door neigh- investments over the past several years. bor Thailand illustrates the potential benefits But the relationship is still a work in progress. of a U.S. investment presence. U.S. companies 3 U.S.–MYANMAR COMMERCIAL RELATIONS: THE NEXT PHASE | JUNE 2016 in Thailand are invested in the full range of The number of skilled workers across a range manufacturing and service industries – bank- of professions is extremely low, and is a major ing, insurance, IT services, auto manufactur- constraint on economic growth. Regulatory ing, garments, electronics, and many others. and taxation uncertainty add to these challeng- Collectively, they produce $22 billion per year es, as does the country’s poor infrastructure. in Thai exports. They directly employ 175,000 Corruption is rife, and fundamental issues of Thai workers – and certainly the downstream the rule of law must be addressed if the coun- employment impact of that is tremendous. try is to build the foundation for long-term eco- Salaries of those directly employed workers nomic growth. This paper explores all of these total $3.2 billion per year. issues, and puts forth a series of recommenda- To the extent that U.S. companies are deterred tions for the Myanmar government to consider from entering the market and thus contribut- in addressing them. ing to Myanmar’s growth, continued sanctions There are many opportunities for the United are hurting Myanmar. However, sanctions also States to play a helpful role in addressing do damage in indirect and unintended ways. Myanmar’s development challenges. A nor- A prominent and unfortunate example is last malized economic relationship is obvious- year’s situation with Asia World Ports, in which ly essential, but could be complemented by payments to legitimate Myanmar exporters concessional tariff rates under the Generalized were blocked by U.S. banks because the port System of Preferences, and a variety of techni- from which some products were shipped is cal assistance and capacity building programs. owned by a sanctioned entity. In the face of Exploratory talks on a bilateral investment trea- continued sanctions, other such unintended ty would be useful in helping Myanmar officials consequences are likely. As a result, the U.S. understand the kinds of market access com- policy of supporting Myanmar’s economic mitments and investor protections that U.S. growth and U.S. commercial engagement on companies seek. the one hand is undermined by the policy of In spite of its deep-seated problems, sanctions on the other hand. In our view, large- Myanmar’s potential is significant. Those U.S. scale U.S. investment simply will not flow into companies that are operating there are op- that market while it remains under sanctions. timistic about the market and the country’s For its part, Myanmar’s internal challenges are growth prospects. The 2016 ASEAN Business immense. The financial sector is woefully un- Outlook Survey showed that the overwhelm- derdeveloped, and the population is severely ing majority of U.S. companies on the ground under-banked. There is no unitary land law, are planning to expand their investments. But zoning law or property law that addresses all there are too few of those companies. A new aspects of ownership, use or transfer of im- approach in U.S. policy, combined with broad movable property. The lingering effects of ear- reform and market liberalization in Myanmar, lier harmful policies on power generation and are needed if the relationship is to reach the transmission mean that Myanmar has the low- “next phase,” which is both the subtitle and the est installed electric power capacity in ASEAN. focus of this paper. 4 U.S.–MYANMAR COMMERCIAL RELATIONS: THE NEXT PHASE | JUNE 2016 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY U.S. executive and legislative policymakers first and confusion about their application, includ- began to impose restrictions against Myanmar ing against prominent Myanmar companies in the wake of its military crackdown on pro- and businesspeople, continue to complicate testers in 1988. President Ronald Reagan sus- that process. The legal authorities and regu- pended U.S. aid, including counternarcotics pro- latory framework are complex after years of grams, and stopped all arms sales to Myanmar. executive and legislative modification, even Presidents George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and though most U.S. activity in Myanmar is now George W. Bush, with Congressional effort and allowed. Banking and financial services con- support, steadily strengthened sanctions to duct is still particularly problematic, and even isolate and pressure the then-ruling junta for routine transactions can get caught up for days its repression of the democratic opposition, or weeks. In fact, most of the unintended sanc- imprisonment of prodemocracy activists, and tions consequences have directly related to or failure to recognize the 1990 electoral victory of been revealed in the financial sector. Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for In light of Myanmar’s political and economic Democracy (NLD). Sanctions were strengthened progress over the past several years, the ex- through Executive orders and determinations, tent to which lingering sanctions discourage legislation and Congressional findings, and oth- U.S. companies from entering the Myanmar er policy instruments that limited dealings with market, as well as the difficulties they cause for the country and its government. legitimate Myanmar companies and entrepre- Following the 2010 Myanmar election, which neurs, this report suggests the United States was boycotted by Aung San Suu Kyi and the lift its sanctions against Myanmar, as well as NLD, Myanmar transitioned from junta rule to a other implementation measures, including to civilian government comprised of former military identify a clear pathway and efficient process leaders. Aung San Suu Kyi was released from for removing individuals and entities from house arrest just after the election, and in 2011 the list of sanctioned Specially Designated the then new President Thein Sein and Lower Nationals and Blocked Persons. House of Parliament Speaker Shwe Mann be- While U.S. sanctions are damaging for both gan a series of progressive reforms that directly U.S. and Myanmar economic interests, surveys addressed the most significant U.S. concerns, of U.S. companies in Myanmar have identified including allowing greater personal freedoms a number of other major challenges to greater for citizens, beginning dialogue with Aung San investment, and to the country’s broader eco- Suu Kyi and the NLD, and engaging Myanmar’s nomic development. This report addresses marginalized ethnic minority groups. several of those areas and sectors: 1) access In response, between 2012 and 2013, President to finance; 2) access to land, and the uncer- Barack Obama eased the most restrictive U.S. tainty of who actually has title to the land; 3) sanctions against Myanmar, including to au- access to electricity; 4) access to skilled and thorize U.S. financial services and new invest- healthy workers; 5) rule of law and corruption; ment into Myanmar, and to allow imports from 6) regulatory and taxation uncertainty; and 7) Myanmar, with the exception of jadeite and ru- severely underdeveloped infrastructure. bies. These changes enabled U.S.
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