Meeting & Activities
- Regarding the Myanmar’s proposal for acquiring of the duty free, quota free market access on its agricultural produce in China market, either in the manner of elimination of quota or raising of quota on export of corn and rubber which have been cultivated as opium substitution crops in Kachin and Shan states of Myanmar, the Commerce Department of Yunnan Province informed the Myanmar side the normal quota free market access provisions for agricultural produce under China-ASEAN FTA Agreement, and suggested the Myanmar side formally apply to the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of China for related risk assessments for the purpose of further expansion of the export of the produce.
- Regarding the proposal of Myanmar side for reducing the local tax differences imposed by Yunnan Province as compared with other Provinces (Regions) in China, the Department of Commerce of Yunnan Province has agreed to review the matter and find out the differences, and promised that the local tax structures imposed by other Provinces and Regions could also be achieved by Yunnan Province.
- Both sides recognized the importance of good quality and fair prices of commodities in ensuring a sustainable market, and were willing to provide assistance to enterprises from both sides through trade promotion platforms to ensure smoother and more convenient trade.
- Both side acknowledged that illegal trade hinders the development of normal trade and agreed that the relevant corresponding departments of both countries should cooperate in preventing smuggling trade.
- The Chinese side proposed to increase the number of border trade posts appointed by Myanmar Government, which could effectively subdue illegal trade, and agreed to cooperate with the Myanmar side in guiding the Chinese enterprises to conduct trade in border trade posts appointed by Myanmar Government.
- The Chinese side welcomed the Myanmar’s proposal for market access of Myanmar flowers into Kunming flower market, agreed to provide necessary assistance, and reiterated that due attention on quality control must be adhered. The Chinese side suggested that if Myanmar business entrepreneurs are interested in market study (the Myanmar business delegation should be headed by the Director General of the Department of Border Trade), the Chinese side would actively cooperate to organize local importers to meet them.
- Regarding the upgrading of border trade posts, it is noted that the construction and upgrading of road which is from the Wangding- Metmine entry/exit gate to Muse 105 mile had successfully completed and that Wangding- Metmine entry/exit gate is going to be upgraded into National Level Gate by the Chinese side. The Myanmar side responded that Muse (105) mile Trade Zone has already existed in that area and trading can be carried out between Wangding- Metmine entry/exit gate and Muse (105) mile Trade Zone.
In order to promote border trade between Myanmar and neighbourings, China, Thailand, India and Bangladesh, the respective border posts hold trade promotion meetings in the last week of every month under the guidance of the Head Office of the Department of Border Trade, with the aim of exchanging the views of officials and local business men.
In China side, monthly ground-level trade promotion meetings between officials from both sides are alternatively held in Muse (105) Mile Trade Zone of Myanmar and in Jiegao of China discussing the issues related with the promotion of trade, including trade barriers, trafficking, facilitating of logistics and reduction of taxes, etc. In addition, on 22nd November, 2010, Senior Officials Meeting between the Ministry of Commerce of Yunnan Province and the Ministry of Commerce was held in Naypyitaw, Myanmar for exploring opportunites not only for border trade but also for overseas trade.
With the view to facilitate and promote trade between Myanmar and Thailand, the Senior Official Meeting was held in Naypyitaw, Myanmar on 17 December, 2010. Both sides exchanged their views in friendly and transparent manner.
Furthermore, the meeting named Emerging Business Opportunties between India and Myanmar with Special Focus on North Eastern Indian States was held in Mandalay from 13th to 16th September in 2010, under the discussion of probable emergence of new border trade routes, escalation of trade through existing trade posts and expansion of tradable commodites.
In Bangladesh side, as agreed in the 4th JTC Meeting between Myanmar and Bangladesh, the establishment of Joint Working Group of Border Trade Officials Meetings was welcomed to hold alternatively and monthly in both sides. So far 3rd Joint Working Group Meeting was held at Cox’s Bazaar of Bangladesh, where matters relating to the promotion of border trade were discussed.
Holding JTC Meetings
Joint Trade Commission – JTC Meetings between the Republic of the Union of Myanmar and the Kingdom of Thailand have been alternately held in Myanmar side and in Thai side since 1999. The 5th Myanmar – Thai JTC Meeting was held in Kanchanaburi, Thailand from 12th to 15th March in 2010. At this meeting, the issues related with informal trade, banking arrangement, trade facilitation and trade promotion had been discussed.
Joint Trade Commission – JTC Meetings between the Republic of the Union of Myanmar and the Republic of India have been occasionally held in Myanmar side and in India side since 2003. The 3rd Myanmar – India JTC Meeting was held in Mandalay from 14th to 15th October, 2008. The issues to use euro – dollar for transaction among the bank from both sides and to promote the potential goods in trade were mainly discussed in that meeting as a border trade matters.
Joint Trade Commission – JTC Meetings between the Republic of the Union of Myanmar and the People’s Republic of Bangladesh have been alternately held in Myanmar side and in Bangladesh side since 2004. The 5th Myanmar – Bangladesh JTC Meeting was successfully held in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar from 21st to 22nd July in 2011, holding in a spirit of mutual understanding, friendship and cooperation. The matters related with the border trade such as to establish wholesale markets at the respective sides, to identify tradable commodities and to diversify exports were discussed during the meeting. Both sides also agreed to hold the Border Trade official meetings at Sittwe and Cox’s Bazaar in addition to Maungdaw and Teknaf.