Business news from Myannmar (28 Oct

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Subject: Business news from Myannmar (28 October 1999) 

MyaBuzz
Business news from Myannmar (28 October 1999)

1028-01 Japan-Myanmar Trade Talk
1028-02 Japan's Computer Technicians In Yangon
1028-03 New Telephone Lines Link Border Towns
1028-04 Chinese Entrepreneurs Meets with Light Industries Ministry
1028-05 Malaysia Seeks Rubber Exports from Myanmar
1028-06Ministry News
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1028-01 Japan-Myanmar Trade Talk
**Industrialist and merchants of the Myanmar-Japan Economic cooperation
Committee met in Tokyo, Japan on 21st October.

The meeting was sponsored by Japan's Chamber of Commerce and Industries.
The entrepreneurs of Japan and Myanmar discussed the economic issues, as
counter trade, small and medium enterprise and other trade and investment
matters.

Apart from Japanese large scale investments in Myanmar's manufacturing
sector Japanese businessmen are also paying interest in Myanmar's vegetable
products. Japanese trade experts are finding ways for exporting frozen
vegetable from Myanmar to Japan. The first shipment of Myanmar vegetable is
expected to reach Japanese ports by early year 2000.

Other areas of Japanese business interest in Myanmar are in commercial
fishing, Myanmar traditional lacquer ware and fabric. Japanese experts are
coming to Myanmar this December to train Myanmar fabric makers to produce
value added quality products for export.

Last year Myanmar exported US$ 88,752,000 worth of goods to Japan, mainly
frozen fish shrimp or prawn as well as finished wood products

According to the latest figure released by Myanma Investment Commission
Japan invested over US$ 232 million in Myanmar.

1028-02 Japan's Computer Technicians In Yangon
**A group of Japanese computer technicians representing Japan's Centre of
International Cooperation for Computerization who are currently visiting
Myanmar met on 26th October with Myanmar's minister for telecommunications
in Yangon.

The main area of their discussion during the meeting was propagation of
computer technology and matters tackling the Y2K problem.

Myanmar is developing computer technology by opening up its computer market
more for the local as well as regional and global investments. Myanmar is
expected to start using internet system before the turn of this century.

1028-03 New Telephone Lines Link Border Towns
**A new microwave tower is under construction to install more telephone
lines near Magwe town, about 400 km from Yangon.

The construction of new microwave tower will pave the way for alleviating
the poor telephone communication between towns at the west bank of
Ayeyarwady River and those at the Myanmar western and eastern borders.

Last month Myanmar and the Telephone Organizations of Thailand signed a
service pact to give Myanmar greater access to satellite telecommunications.

1028-04 Chinese Entrepreneurs Meets with Light Industries Ministry
**Chinese entrepreneurs of Shangdong Weichi Import & Export Corporation
from northeastern Chinese province of Shangdong met on 26th October with
Myanmar's Minister for Light Industry.

The Chinese company has its representative office in Yangon and is engaged
in export and import business. The company has mainly imported machinery
and other industrial goods from China.

Myanmar's Light Industry Ministry has large-scale business and technical
cooperation with China. The ministry is currently constructing a new paper
mill in central Myanmar, and attained the technical assistance for
construction of textile, soap and cement factories in the past.

1028-05 Malaysia Seeks Rubber Exports from Myanmar
**Visiting Director General of Rubber Industry Smallholders Development
Authority of Malaysia met with Myanmar's Investment Commission in Yangon on
26th October.

On 25th October, a group of Malaysian entrepreneurs led by the Chairman of
Ayer Molk Rubber Production Company met with the Vice-Chairman of Myanma
Investment Commission in Yangon.

Myanmar southern provinces are fertile grounds for rubber plantation.
Rubber is one of the main export items for Myanmar.

Myanmar's Light Industry Ministry is seeking for the joint venture partners
to operate a rubber factory on profit sharing basis.

1028-06Ministry News
**Every Thursday, Myabuzz features Ministry News.  This will tackle issues
in the preceding week (with emphasis on business and investment news) in
the various ministries in the country.

1. Myanmar's Commerce Ministry Officials left last week for Johannesburg,
South Africa to participate in South Africa Int'l Trade Fair held from 19
to 23 of October. Myanmar displayed its export items to find new markets in
Africa.

2. Ministry of Telecommunication is still constructing communication
towers, for operating GSM telephones. Plan to be introduced in Myanmar, by
March 2000. At the first stage the Ministry will grant total installation
of 100,000 GSM telephones nationwide.
70,000 of it will be allocated for Yangon users and the rest for Mandalay,
the second biggest capital in Myanmar.

3. Last week Myanmar Minister for Electrical Energy toured the two hydro
power plants under construction in Inlay Lake region, in Myanmar's
northeastern Shan province. Two new hydro power plants are expected to
operate with the Inlay Lake water. The ministry is also constructing three
hydro power plant in Myanmar's Shan, Mon and Bago provinces, which is
capable of producing over 1,200 megawatt of electricity collectively.
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