MYANMAR/CHINA/FILE: Chinese influence still prevalent in Myanmar as the country seeks to open up to the west

Record ID: 511582

  • Title: MYANMAR/CHINA/FILE: Chinese influence still prevalent in Myanmar as the country seeks to open up to the west
  • Date: 17th December 2011
  • Summary: YANGON, MYANMAR (DECEMBER 2, 2011) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF CHINA GUANGDONG COMMODITIES FAIR AT TATMADAW EXHIBITION HALL CHINA AND MYANMAR FLAGS MYANMAR TRADERS AT A CHINESE COMPANY'S BOOTH WRITTEN MOTTO OF A CHINESE COMPANY ON A BOOTH WALL SAYING "WIN-WIN TO A BETTER FUTURE" CHINESE AND MYANMAR TRADERS IN THE HALL VARIOUS OF MYANMAR PEOPLE AT A CHINA'S LONGTRON TECHNOL
  • Embargoed: 1st January 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Myanmar, China
  • City:
  • Country: Burma (Myanmar)
  • Topics: International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAAMNP6PJG5C8QA8DN4PTOKAU2M
  • Story Text: The China Guangdong Commodities Fair kicked off at Tatmadaw Hall in Myanmar's former capital Yangon earlier this month.
    Organised by a Chinese foreign trade and exhibition group and supported by Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce, the trade fair aimed at further expanding Guangdong province's bilateral economic and trade cooperation with Myanmar.
    Nearly 70 Chinese companies took part in the exhibition hoping to find outlets in Myanmar to represent their production line of machinery, vehicles, electronic devices, building materials, household appliances and consumer goods.
    The Guangdong-Myanmar bilateral trade totalled $430 million in 2010, up 71.8 percent from 2009, according to Guangdong official statistics.
    China has emerged as Myanmar's biggest ally, investing in infrastructure, hydropower dams and twin oil-and-gas pipelines to help feed southern China's growing energy needs.
    But with a recent visit by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, that could all change.
    Chinese businessmen are not worried about another country competing for the same market.
    "I'm not worried about it (the U.S.-Myanmar relationship) as long as everybody can do their business. It is okay," said an unidentified Chinese manager of a home appliance producer.
    The first senior U.S. official to visit in 50 years, Clinton has said the United States would support World Bank and International Monetary Fund assessment missions to help Myanmar jump-start its economy, and new U.N. counter-narcotics and health cooperation programs.
    These are offers of first rewards for reforms in the authoritarian military-ruled country.
    But she dismissed any suggestion that engagement with Myanmar was driven by competition with China.
    The country also known as Burma has been sanctioned by the west because of its negative human rights records.
    The Chinese Foreign Ministry says it supports moves that will benefit both countries.
    "We are willing to respect each other without interfering with each others' internal affairs, through the support and friendly cooperation between China and Myanmar to open communication channels in all walks of life in Myanmar and jointly promote the interests of both countries to build bilateral relations and benefits for both countries," said Liu Weimin, the spokesman for Chinese foreign ministry.
    In Yangon's Chinatown, it is clear the Chinese influence is still strong. Many shop signs and advertisements are written in Chinese words, and dialects are commonly heard among the Myanmar-born Chinese.
    The Chinese community spreads across six major streets in the heart of Yangon, and the group dominates Myanmar's economy.
    They also have the largest percentage in higher education graduates, putting them in the highest educated class in Myanmar.
    The Myanmar-born Chinese also keep their traditions, going to the temple regularly. The Guangdong Guanyin Temple is one of the two oldest Chinese temples in Myanmar. It was founded by the Cantonese settlers of Yangon in 1823.
    A newlywed couple could be seen praying to the gods as husband and wife.
    The groom, 30-year-old Myanmar-born Chinese Ko Kyaw Myo resettled back in his birthplace and married his Myanmar neighbour, after five years of working as a chef in the United States.
    "Since Myanmar has started to open the door, there will be more business opportunity. It would be more beneficial for us if multinational companies come and invest here instead of from the mainland China alone," Myo said.
    Another Myanmar-born Chinese shop-owner echoed that sentiment, saying Myanmar should not solely rely on China.
    "All Myanmar-born Chinese here know that the communist China will one day dominate Myanmar economy. But we, as Myanmar-born Chinese, don't have to depend on the mainland China, no matter how strong the China's economy is," said 58-year-old U Kyaw Thein.
    According to Chinese figures, bilateral trade rose more than 50 percent last year to $4.4 billion U.S. dollars.
    After two decades of reliance on China, many are interested to see how Myanmar, which is seeking to merge from decades of authoritarian military rule, will open up towards the west.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register