• About
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Write for us
  • Contact
  • Terms of service
Saturday, May 21, 2022
The Millennial Source
TMS
Home WORLD

Chinese president visits Myanmar to expand Belt and Road Initiative

byZachary Frye
January 18, 2020
in WORLD
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Linkedin



Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Myanmar on Friday, January 17 for diplomatic meetings looking to expand Beijing’s signature international economic development program, called the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

The BRI was created in 2013. Its main purpose is to create economic partnerships with countries around the world in order to increase China’s connectivity on the global stage. As of October 2019, BRI programs have reached 138 countries. 

$1 trillion USD has been pledged toward the program thus far, largely involving infrastructure projects, such as dams, ports, highways and pipelines. 

Jinping met with Myanmar’s leader, State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, marking the first time a Chinese leader has visited the country in nearly 20 years.

Jinping is expected to sign a deal worth $1.3 billion for a seaport in Rakhine State, located in the far west of Myanmar. Once completed, the port – named the Kyaukphyu Port due to its location in the Kyaukphyu special economic zone (SEZ) – will give the Chinese direct access to the Indian Ocean for trade.

Human rights groups cry foul

However, Rakhine State is the home of the Rohingya people, a minority group in Myanmar that has been systematically uprooted from their homes over the past several years in what the United Nations (UN) has characterized as “a textbook case of ethnic cleansing.” According to China’s foreign ministry, though, the issue is a domestic one that shouldn’t be “internationalized.”

According to Nicholas Bequelin, the regional director for Amnesty International: “This has only emboldened the military’s relentless campaign of human rights violations and war crimes against ethnic minorities across the country.” 

More concerns raised

Over $6.5 billion of Chinese imports flowed into the country in 2018, making China Myanmar’s largest trading partner. China advertises the BRI program as a chance to increase global development and give developing countries access to world-class infrastructure that helped build China, but some are concerned over the conditions surrounding the Chinese loans. 

Many of these projects are funded, at least in part, by loans from Chinese banks. If Chinese companies end up monopolizing most of the profit from these initiatives – as some analysts have warned – it could place a huge burden on developing economies’ ability to pay off the debt.

In addition to the loans, the projects are often built using Chinese workers and run by Chinese companies. For these reasons, some are concerned that the projects will harm local livelihoods. 

After construction started on the Chinese-funded Myitsone Dam in northern Myanmar, many villagers were unsettled. Some were displaced and compelled to work across the border in China and stay in substandard housing.

“The major losses were the farmlands,” said Reverend Tu Hkawng, a member of the mostly Christian Kachin ethnic minority in the area. “I would say our social structure was destroyed. We used to help and care for each other. Such things are gone” he added.

[article_ad]

Related

Tags: AsiaPoliticsShort read
ShareTweetShare

Latest Posts

China housing

China gives property-buying benefits to families with three children amid declining housing market and birth rates

May 18, 2022
Philippines

US, China, Russia congratulate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Philippine election win

May 13, 2022
Hong Kong elections

Securing 1,416 votes, former security chief John Lee is now Hong Kong’s new leader

May 9, 2022

What you need to know about the Philippine presidential election right now

May 9, 2022

China’s lockdowns are ineffective in the long run says White House medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci

May 6, 2022

Hong Kong online investment scam victims lost over HK$132 million this year

May 6, 2022

What is the US Supreme Court abortion law leak, and why does it matter?

May 4, 2022

Nervous investors dumped US$26 billion of Alibaba stock over report of “Ma” arrest – but, it wasn’t Jack Ma

May 4, 2022

What’s going on with Xiaomi in India?

May 3, 2022

SUBSCRIBE TO THE TMS NEWSLETTER

By providing your email, you agree to our Privacy Policy

The Millennial Source Ltd. 2021

No Result
View All Result
  • Your daily briefing
  • About us
  • Explore
    • Startups
    • Climate change
    • Tech giants
    • Crypto
    • The future of work
    • Banking giants
    • Economy
  • Lifestyle
  • TMS archives
  • Write for us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy & Terms

© 2022 The Millennial Source Ltd.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings.

string(24) "jsonld single post debug"
The Millennial Source
Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.