Myanmar

Chinese Sungrow Power Supply is one of three Chinese companies that together account for about a third of the bids generated by Myanmar's aggressive solar tender process.
Politics

China dominates bidding for Myanmar solar power plants

NLD's hastiness ahead of elections triggers backlash from US, UK and EU

3 September 2020
Kyaw Min, the leader of Democracy and Human Rights Party, was barred from running in the November elections.
Politics

Myanmar's Rohingya excluded from November elections

Muslim politicians 'disqualified' by election commission from parliamentary bids

26 August 2020
Cambodian sailors raise their national flag on a Chinese naval patrol boat during a handover ceremony at a Cambodian naval base at Ream, southwest of Phnom Penh, in 2007. 
Arts

Book review: China's impact in Southeast Asia chronicled

Exhaustive study of Beijing's growing influence comes at a critical juncture

25 August 2020
Myanmar's Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, left, speaks with Aung San Suu Kyi.
Politics

Myanmar's latest peace talks expose Suu Kyi rift with military

Generals remain suspicious of civilian push for constitutional reform

21 August 2020
Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar's state counsellor, is once again making peace overtures toward some of the country's disaffected insurgent minorities.  
Politics

Suu Kyi revisits Panglong peace initiative ahead of election

Country is no closer to peace than 2016 when talks resumed

19 August 2020
Yoma hopes to increase the number of Wave Money app users roughly by 10 times now to 11.2 million by 2024. (Photo by Htet Aung Phyoe)
Finance

Myanmar conglomerate to offer loans online using Alibaba tech

Yoma plans to build new financial platform for over 40m unbanked

17 August 2020
Rehabilitation proceedings for Thai Airways International will begin on Monday. 
Your Week in Asia

Japan GDP, Thai Airways rehabilitation and Myanmar peace conference

Your weekly lineup of Asia's biggest business and political events

16 August 2020
A police officer explains about seized illegal drugs during a destruction ceremony  outside Yangon on June 26.
Opinion

Southeast Asia must unite to tackle its drug problem

Seizures will not end the trade, no matter how large

16 August 2020
Shwe Mann, ex-speaker of Myanmar's Union Parliament, will contest National League for Democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi in November elections.
Politics

Myanmar's Suu Kyi faces nationwide challenge from former ally

UBP to field candidates for majority of seats in parliament

13 August 2020
A casino is seen near the Thai border in Myawaddy, Karen State in Myanmar. 
Belt and Road

Myanmar to probe casinos in China-backed developer's 'rogue city'

$15bn planned community accused of flouting government rules

12 August 2020
Cambodia has been the primary target of the Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar Fund, which has invested in 13 companies in the region.
DealStreetAsia

Dutch bank weighs investment in Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar Fund

FMO's COVID follow-on reserves targeted with $1.4m commitment

8 August 2020
A drawing of the elusive pink-headed duck. Once found across India, Bangladesh and northern Myanmar, it has not been spotted in the subcontinent since 1949. (Henrik Gronvold) 
Life

A bird spotter's guide to Myanmar

Country pins post-coronavirus tourism hopes on rare and endangered birds

5 August 2020
Designs for the first Aeon Mall in Yangon, Myanmar, construction on which is due to begin in 2021.
Companies

Japanese retailer Aeon to invest $180m in first Myanmar mall

Group ahead of global peers in foray into underserved SE Asian market

4 August 2020
Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi arrives at the electoral commission to formalize her re-election bid as a parliament member in Yangon, Myanmar, Aug. 4.
Politics

Suu Kyi poised to run second campaign amid rise of splinter parties

Myanmar's leader calls for 'loyalty' to ruling NLD in run-up to November elections

4 August 2020
Traffic is seen behind a pedestrian bridge in downtown Yangon. Mitsubishi Motors is leaning toward assembling cars in Myanmar as part of its Southeast Asia strategy.
Interview

Mitsubishi eyes car production in Myanmar

Automaker focuses on ASEAN while scaling back Europe operations

4 August 2020
Aung San Suu Kyi announced Wednesday the creation of a new special economic zone in Mon State. 
Economy

Suu Kyi courts Japan investment with new economic zone

Myanmar hopes for repeat of successful Thilawa project

29 July 2020
China-occupied Subi Reef, part of the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea.
International relations

US and China engage in 'war of words' over Myanmar and Philippines

Washington condemns meddling in region but Beijing says comments 'hypocritical'

27 July 2020
An LNG processing facility. The Myanmar power plant would have an output of 1.25 megawatts.
Energy

Myanmar approves Japanese plans for LNG power plant

Design and price negotiations seen taking up to two years, sources say

25 July 2020
A liquefied natural gas-fired power plant in Futtsu, Chiba facing the Tokyo Bay (Photo by Shinya Sawai)
Energy

Japan Marubeni wins deal for $2bn Myanmar LNG power plant

Marubeni, Sumitomo and Mitsui to build project equal to 20% of existing capacity

24 July 2020
Aung San Suu Kyi's popularity has been waning as Myanmar's de facto leader proves ineffective at curtailing the military's political influence.
Politics

Myanmar pro-democracy forces form new parties as elections loom

Ex-NLD lawmaker criticizes Suu Kyi for lack of democracy within ruling party

21 July 2020
Rescuers work at the site of landslide in Hpakant on July 2: devastating tragedy was likely avoidable.
Opinion

Myanmar jade mine disaster highlights government inaction

Nearly 200 people died when a mountain of waste collapse in heavy rains

14 July 2020
Confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths have been lower in Bangladesh’s Rohingya refugee camps than in surrounding host communities. (Photo by Mohamad Hafiz Johari)
Asia Insight

Rohingya scapegoated as Bangladesh battles COVID-19

Pandemic threatens aid to both poor host communities and refugees

7 July 2020
Led by State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, the National League for Democracy is expected to win the general election to be held in November.
Politics

Myanmar's Suu Kyi faces hard race in countryside as elections loom

Ethnic parties merge to run against ruling National League for Democracy

2 July 2020
Japan is eager to reopen business travel to and from a number of territories, including Taiwan, Brunei, Myanmar and Singapore, but not China.
Coronavirus

Japan puts Taiwan and Brunei atop its business travel agenda

Myanmar also considered as Tokyo moves to undo coronavirus restraints

30 June 2020
Khin Khin San, who is widely known as May Cho (Sweet Mother), rose from selling rice noodles in Myanmar’s Rakhine State to founding one of Myanmar’s most beloved seafood chains. (Lorcan Lovett)
Life

Street vendor builds Yangon's top seafood chain

Rakhine migrant's fiery noodles triumph in Myanmar's business capital

29 June 2020