Business Yangon Region Gov’t, HK-Taiwan Consortium Ink Industrial Zone Deal Yangon Region Minister for Planning and Finance U Myint Thaung delivers the opening speech at a press conference at the Yangon Investment Forum 2019. / The Global New Light of Myanmar By THE IRRAWADDY 29 April 2019 YANGON—The Yangon regional government will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a consortium of Hong Kong and Taiwan companies next month to develop an international-standard industrial zone in Htantabin Township in the west of the commercial capital. Worth an estimated US$500 million (761.2 billion kyats) the Htantabin Industrial Zone will be implemented on more than 1,000 acres and is expected to create more than 150,000 job opportunities, said Naw Pan Thinzar Myo, Yangon Region Karen ethnic affairs minister, at a press conference on Friday. The regional government and the Hong Kong-Taiwan consortium, Golden Myanmar Investment Co., are scheduled to sign the MoU at the 2nd Yangon Investment Fair on May 10, which will showcase about 80 projects across Yangon Region in an effort to drum up local and foreign investment. It is expected to take about nine years to fully implement the Htantabin Industrial Zone. The MoU is the first to be implemented among 11 industrial zones planned by the Yangon regional government in undeveloped areas on the outskirts of Yangon. A map of the Htantabin Industrial Zone / Invest Myanmar Summit website At the country’s first Investment Fair in late January, the Yangon government showcased planned international-standard industrial zones in 11 townships: Kungyangon, Kawhmu, Twantay, Thingyan, Kyauktan, Khayan, Thongwa, Taikkyi, Hmawbi, Hlegu and Htantabin. The government hopes the zones will boost development and job opportunities for local people and reduce overcrowding and traffic congestion in the metropolitan area. Naw Pan Thinzar Myo said, “Many investors are interested in the industrial zones. Many of them are still in the process of complying with rules and regulations. They are not yet ready to sign an MoU.” The regional government also plans to invite investment in the hotel and tourism; digital economy; real estate; and industrial sectors at the 2nd Yangon Investment Fair. According to the Myanmar Investment Commission, Yangon Region received 77 percent of the country’s total foreign investment last year. The top investors were China, Hong Kong and South Korea. Topics: Golden Myanmar Investment Co., HK, Htantabin Industrial Zone, Investment, Taiwan, Yangon The Irrawaddy ... Specials TIMELINE: China-Myanmar Relations Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Myanmar State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on April 24, 2019. / Reuters By THE IRRAWADDY 13 January 2020 In 1949, Mao Zedong established the Peoples’ Republic of China, which was formally recognized by the freshly independent Myanmar government. Since then the two neighboring countries have maintained relations, and this year marks the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties. China became a close ally of Myanmar, especially when the Southeast Asian country was under the military regime in the late 1990s. Since 2018, with planned special economic zones, cross border railway links between the two countries and other mega development projects, Myanmar has officially been involved in Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), shaping future relations between the neighboring nations. On the eve of Xi’s visit to Myanmar, here is a chronology of the two countries’ relations over the past 71 years. 2020 Jan 9: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying announces that Xi will visit Myanmar on Jan. 17-18 at the invitation of Myanmar President U Win Myint. 2019 Feb 18: The first meeting of the Myanmar Steering Committee for Implementation of the BRI is held in Naypyitaw. Committee chair Daw Aung San Suu Kyi says thorough scrutiny of the projects under Beijing’s BRI is needed to assess their likely short- and long-term impacts on the country and the public. Feb 21-22: Union Minister for Planning and Finance U Soe Win attends the second joint committee meeting of CMEC and the 2nd China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC) Forum in Kunming. The 2nd CMEC forum discusses ways to promote collaboration in the agriculture, livestock breeding, forestry, mining and tourism sectors, and implementation of the Kyaukphyu Special Economic Zone (SEZ), railroad, New Yangon and other projects under the CMEC. Additionally, the two sides discuss investment opportunities in Myanmar and the involvement of Chinese banks in the CMEC. March 14: U Kyaw Tin, Union minister for international cooperation, meets Hong Liang, Chinese ambassador to Myanmar, to discuss the promotion of bilateral relations, the 2nd BRI Summit and China’s involvement in the Rakhine issue amid international pressure on Myanmar. March 19: Union Minister for Economic and Foreign Relations U Thaung Tun meets Deng Boqing, deputy administrator of the China International Development Cooperation Agency, to discuss aid for the Bagan Pagodas. They sign two MOUs (memorandums of understanding) related to the renovation of the pagodas. April 1-4: U Aung Win Oo, Myanmar Police chief, meets Ren Jun Hao, Yunnan Police chief, in Kunming to discuss cooperation on border affairs and rule of law, human trafficking and drugs. He also visits Huawei’s headquarters in Shenzhen during the trip. April 9: Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, commander-in-chief of Myanmar’s armed forces, meets Chinese President Xi. During the trip, the senior general promises he will help implement the BRI in order to make it a success in Myanmar. Myanmar military chief Snr- Gen Min Aung Hlaing and Chinese President Xi Jinping hold talks at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on April 10, 2019. / Global New Light of Myanmar April 25-27: Myanmar State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi meets Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing while attending the 2nd Belt and Road Forum. The Myanmar government signs two MOUs and an agreement letter with China at the forum, detailing strengthened cooperation between the countries on the CMEC, trade and technology. Myanmar State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang witness an MOU signing ceremony in Beijing on April 25, 2019. / Ministry of Foreign Affairs Myanmar / Facebook May 17: The opening ceremony of the China-Myanmar Economic Cooperation and Development Promotion Association and 1st CMEC Summit is held in Yangon. May 17: The China Enterprises Chamber of Commerce in Myanmar (CECCM) opens its office in Naypyitaw. May 20: The opening ceremony of the Myanmar-China Business Association (MCBA) is held in Naypyitaw. The association aims to promote BRI relations between the two countries. May 29: U Phyo Min Thein, chief minister of Yangon Region, and Hong Liang, Chinese ambassador to Myanmar, visit the Daw Khin Kyi Hospital (First China-Myanmar Friendship Hospital), paid for by China, in Yangon. June 18: President U Win Myint accepts the credentials of new Chinese Ambassador Chen Hai in Naypyitaw. President U Win Myint and newly accredited Chinese Ambassador Chen Hai pose for a photo in the Credentials Hall at the Presidential Palace. / The Irrawaddy June 20: Senior General Min Aung Hlaing meets Ambassador Chen in Naypyitaw to discuss matters related to the implementation of the CMEC and the promotion of military cooperation. June 21: A fourth Myanmar-China Friendship day is jointly organized by the Chinese Embassy and organizations of people of Chinese descent in Yangon. July 3: Myanmar State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi meets Ambassador Chen to discuss the BRI, promotion of bilateral relations and the status of the peace process. July 8: A total of 13 Myanmar academics, officials from the Information Ministry and five Chinese think tanks from Yunnan University hold a forum, “China-Myanmar Sustainable Development and Cooperation under the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor”, in Yangon. July 12: The Yangon chief minister meets Ambassador Chen to promote relations and cooperation. July 26: Chen visits the Kyaukphyu SEZ, deep-sea port, industrial zone, China-Myanmar pipeline and other Chinese projects in Kyaukphyu, Rakhine State. Aug. 8: U Win Khaing, Union minister for electricity, meets Ambassador Chen to discuss cooperation on electricity and power for BRI projects. Aug. 9: U Ohn Maung, Union minister for hotels and tourism, meets Ambassador Chen to promote Chinese tourism to Myanmar and cooperation on the BRI in the tourism sector. Aug. 12: The China-Myanmar Friendship Film Festival is launched in Naypyitaw. Aug. 14: Myanmar State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi meets Sun Guoxiang, Chinese special envoy for Rohingya repatriation and the peace process, in Naypyitaw. Aug. 15: Yangon’s chief minister meets the Chinese ambassador to Myanmar to discuss the development of Yangon. Aug. 19: China criticizes recent attacks by an alliance of ethnic armed groups on police and military outposts in northern Myanmar’s Shan State, saying the actions derail the country’s peace process and create instability in the region. At a press conference in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang says China “strongly condemned” the attacks carried out by three members of the Northern Alliance of ethnic armed groups—the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), the Arakan Army (AA) and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA). Senior General Min Aung Hlaing meets Ambassador Chen to discuss the offensive. Aug. 23: U Han Thar Myint, Dr. Myo Nyunt and U Than OO, members of the Central Executive Committee of the National League for Democracy, meet the Chinese ambassador in Yangon to promote party-to-party relations. The Yangon Region chief minister, the Chinese ambassador and representatives of the Chinese business community in Yangon meet to discuss investment conditions in Yangon. Aug. 23: U Than Htay, chair of the Union Solidarity and Development Party, meets Ambassador Chen in Yangon to promote party-to-party relations.