CNI News

16 June 2025

Foreign investments coming into Myanmar's Tanintharyi Region should be approached with caution, businessmen and economic experts told CNI News.

China, India, Russia, Thailand, and Singapore are currently seeking to invest in the Dawei Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Tanintharyi Region. Then, a Singapore-based company is also planning to start drilling for natural gas there. 

Foreign companies that are planning to invest are already awared of the current situation in Myanmar and carefully study and analyze the documents before signing them, as there may be companies that are willing to take advantage of the situation. 

There may be companies that come in with the intention of making easy profits, so it is important to carefully study and consider any contracts before signing them, U Aung Pyae Sone, a businessman, told CNI News.

“I have to say that we are fortunate that foreign investment is coming to us at this time. This is the first part. But it is important not to sign every time such foreign investment comes in. It's not because we don't want foreign investment to come in. The international community now knows the situation in our country. Big companies are more understanding. So in this country, we need to carefully study and analyze the contracts that come in with the idea that they will get profits for a song."And we need to explain it to the public in a transparent manner. No matter which government comes, no matter who does it, if we don't tell it to the public, there may be a chance that we will suffer," he said.

While seeing the Indian Ambassador and the Chief Minister of Tanintharyi Region

The Bangkok Post reported in early 2025 that the Tanintharyi coast is the shortest and most convenient route for Bangkok, Thailand, to connect with the Suez Canal and the Middle East.

The Dawei Special Economic Zone project began in 2008 with a memorandum of understanding between Thailand and Myanmar, but the contract was canceled due to delays. New investors are currently being invited.

In addition, the DSEZ will bridge the Indian and Pacific Oceans and connect Southeast Asia and South Asia. The project will also include a deep-sea port which is likely to bypass the congested Strait of Malacca.

When implementing a project, it is necessary to carefully consider the benefits and costs to the country, economic and banking expert U Htay Aung Kyi told CNI News.

While seeing an investment project

“Environmental impact is important. Now EIA and SIA are conducted. It is just norminal. That is one thing. Another thing is we do project evaluation. Feasibility study, we study the feasibility. This is a bit weak here, to be honest. These are not useless subjects. When they do projects, they often do it by hand. I don't want that to happen. Let's make sure to do a feasibility study. Let's make sure to do an environmental study. Next time, how much will I get? Economic internal rate of return - this is something that should be considered based on the global level. One advantage is that gas income is in US dollars. If it is in Kyats, what will the inflation rate affect? The second point is a feasibility study? Thailand and Singapore do a feasibility study. How much will our country benefit? How much will it suffer? These must be considered when a feasibility sudy is conducted." he said.

Businessmen and economic experts believe that Tanintharyi could become a world-class region due to such foreign investment. 

Currently, there are four major offshore projects in operation for oil and gas exploration, drilling, and production: 

Yadana, Yedagon, Zawtika, and Shwe, and two more offshore projects are under exploration, drilling, and production, for a total of six offshore projects.

In addition, the Mottama Offshore Block (M-10) (Min Ye Thu Project) is the seventh major offshore project in the country and the first offshore project to be implemented under the SAC.

CNI News

16 June 2025

China should not be seen as exerting influence over Myanmar, but rather as cooperating to advance mutual interests, said U Thein Htun Oo, director of the Thayninga Institute for Strategy Studies.
 China is pressuring the Northern Alliance (MNDAA-AA-TNLA) to stop the town and camp capture battles and return the captured towns to the Myanmar Tatmadaw.

China and Myanmar share a long border and China should be seen as playing a role in ensuring peace and stability in Myanmar because China wants to maintain bilateral relations, said U Thein Tun Oo.

“Myanmar and China share a long border. We need to build a good and stable free relationship. We need to create a win-win situation in terms of economy. Then, it is important to build a close relationship in global affairs and regional peacebuilding. Good relations between the two countries will greatly benefit regional stability and the country’s future. Whether Myanmar has been under the influence of China is variously viewed by the West, ASEAN and India. But the most important thing is how Myanmar sees itself. It depends on how you see yourself and how you build yourself. Whether Myanmar falls under China or not is not a major title for us." said U Thein Tun Oo.

 seeing leaders of the MNDAA, the AA and the TNLA

The Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) handed over Lashio and the Northeast Command to the Myanmar Tatmadaw in April 2025, and is preparing to hand over the town of Theinni. 

The Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) is also facing pressure from China to hand over the towns of Kutkai, Hsipaw, Kyaukme, Naungcho, Mogok, and Namkham, which it has controlled, to the Myanmar Tatmadaw.

China is intervening to help Myanmar rather than exerting influence, as the collapse of the central government could have negative effects on neighboring countries, National Democratic Force (NDF) vice chairman U Htet Aung Kyaw told CNI News.

“ Rather than China’s influence, China is helping us solve the problems that are happening in our country. As a neighbor, Thailand is also helping us solve them. India is also helping us solve them. They don’t want our country to collapse. If it collapses, all the surrounding countries will be affected, so they are helping us solve them. China is a powerful country. And since China has a very strong relationship with Myanmar, if SAC can get China's back up, then it may be said that SAC might be under the influence of China. The main thing is that the country needs to have good immunity. If the immunity is strong, the rest will not be a problem and any country can't influence on our country." he said.

  While seeing the private security service law

Battles are breaking out between the Myanmar Tatmadaw and armed groups across the country. And the Myanmar Tatmadaw has lost control of several hundreds of military camps, two military commands and over 90 towns, affecting Chinese investments, projects and companies. Moreover, China-Myanmar border trade also has suspended.

Chinese president Xi Jinping told Senior General Min Aung Hlaing to carry out the security for the Chinese investments, projects, companies and their staff during his meeting with the senior general in Russia in May, 2025.

With above-mentioned situations, after the SAC had to face pressures from China, the SAC had to enact the private security service law on February 8, 2025 to enable Chinese security forces to enter Myanmar in order to protect Chinese interests, pointed out military and political analysts.

CNI News

12 June 2025

The Rakhine Nationalities Party (RNP), a new political party in Rakhine State, was unlikely to contest the December 2025 election under the current circumstances, its founder, U Ba Shein, told CNI News.

The Union Election Commission (UEC) announced on June 9 that it had granted the Rakhine Nationalities Party (RNP) the right to establish a political party. However, the registration period for political parties to contest the election ended on May 9, and it is unlikely that more party registrations will be granted before the election, Rakhine Nationalities Party (RNP) founder U Ba Shein told CNI News.

"How much will we be able to do if we follows the law and regulations? I don't think we saw that in the 2010 election. It was only after the 2010 election that the NLD registered and entered the elections. I think this is directly proportional to the attitude of the UEC and the attitude of the government that will come to power. Only after being granted party registration can a party be established. Now, they say if you want to establish a party, you can establish a party. There are many provisions in the law and regulations, and we must follow them and act accordingly. I think the deadline for party registration was set on May 9th. Later, after the elections, parties continued to apply. We saw similar cases after the 2010 elections. The NLD registered and ran the elections. But in 2010, the NLD was not a political party on the table," he said.

Office of the Union Election Commission

The Rakhine Nationalities Party (RNP) applied for permission to establish a political party on April 8, and the Union Election Commission (UEC) granted permission two months later. 

Therefore, it is stipulated that an application must be made to the Election Commission for registration as a political party within 30 days from the date of receipt of permission, in accordance with Rule 7 of the Registration of Political Parties. The Rakhine Nationalities Party (RNP) currently has not had a lot of party members and has not yet formulated party policies as well, party founder U Ba Shein told CNI News.

“When applying for party registration, all of the party policies must be submitted to the UEC. There may be some of these policies that the UEC likes, and some that it doesn't.  How can we solve the policies they don't like? We want to establish a party, so we have to do the work we want." he said.

U Ba Shein, founder of the Rakhine Nationalities Party

U Ba Shein, the founder of the Rakhine Nationalities Party (RNP), was previously a member of the policy steering committee of the Arakan National Party (ANP) and a former Pyithu Hluttaw representative for Kyaukphyu Township. 

Currently, in Rakhine State, the Arakan Front Party (AFP), the Rakhine State National Unity Party (RSNUP), the Myo National Party, and the Khami National Development Party are the parties allowed to register with the UEC.

CNI News
15 June 2025

Civil servants must be free from party politics, said the SAC Chairman Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. He made the above-mentioned statement during a meeting with teachers in Pyin Oo Lwin on June 11, 2025.

“Civil servants need to be free from party politics and distinguish between politics and national affairs. They must be dutiful for the country by fulfilling their responsibilities and duties. I want civil servants to work together for the development of the country,” he said.

Section 26 (a) of the 2008 Constitution stipulates that civil servants must be free from party politics. The section should be amended. Instead, a civil servant must not be a member of a political party, which should be stipulated.

Ortherwise, civil servants may be in a situation in which they cannot marry a member of a political party, pointed out political parties.

Soldiers from the Myanmar Tatmadaw  are government servants, which raises the question of why they occupy 25 percent of the seats in Hluttaw, pointed out military and political analysts.

CNI News
15 June 2025

The Karen National Revolutionary Movement was to establish the Karen Country which was the goal and dream of the Karen people, said the KNU Chairman Pado Saw Kwe Htoo Win.

He said that in the speech delivered on the 76th anniversary celebration of the Kawthoolei Day which fell on June 14, 2025.

After the Karen revolutionary leaders withdrew from Yangon, some leaders saw urgent needs and called an emergency meeting in Taungoo on June 14, 1949. At that meeting, the situation of the revolution was analyzed, the Kawthoolei government was formed, and administrative arrangements were re-established.

The structure of the Kawthoolei government also existed, and the first meeting of the Kawthoolei government was held in April 1950. June 14, the day the Kawthuley government was formed, was designated as Kawthuley Day, and was celebrated to this day, he said.

" The Karen National Revolutionary Movement is to establish the Kawthoolei country which is the goal and dream of the Karen people. It is not deniable that the Kawthoolei country has firmly existed in the heart of all the Karen people. We have announced the establishment of Kawthoolei country and formation of the Kawthoolei government for 76 years." said the KNU Chairman.

Kawthoolei that has liberty, equal rights and self-administration has not been recognized up to now. There had had experiences that Kawthoolei could not be established by the only desire. It was necessary to have a practical structure that is in line with the evolving political situation and the situation of the people, he said.

“Building a nation, achieving stability, progress and peace depends on good leadership, public administration, meeting public needs, public security, economic and other issues,” he said.

The KNU is a Karen armed group that signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) on October 15, 2015, along with seven other armed groups.

However, on February 1, 2021, the Myanmar military overthrew the NLD government, claiming that it was attempting to form a government without resolving the 2020 general election voter list dispute, and seized state power.

So, the KNU is currently fighting alongside other armed groups, the National Unity Government (NUG), and the People's Defense Forces (PDF), to overthrow the Myanmar Tatmadaw and the SAC.

The KNU operates with a total of 7 brigades in Kayin State, Mon State, Tanintharyi Region, and Bago Region, and is also operating militarily in Sagaing Region in collaboration with the Local Defense Force (LPDF) and the People's Defense Force (PDF).

Interests of Myanmar is directly related to that of China

CNI News

14 June 2025

Interests of Myanmar was directly related to that of China, chairman of the Arakan Front Party (AFP) Dr. Aye Maung told CNI News. 

China-Myanmar relations have been in their 75th year, and the SAC welcomes China’s attitude towards Myanmar. 

China-Myanmar relations are getting closer and all the interests of the two countries are related, said Dr. Aye Maung, chairman of the Arakan Front Party (AFP), to CNI News.

“We must continue to maintain the current success of the China-Myanmar friendly diplomacy between U Min Aung Hlaing and Mr. Xi Jinping. So, the relationship between the two countries will become closer. As a result of the success, discussions between the Chinese Special Envoy Mr. Deng Xijun and members of the Northern Alliance regarding northern Shan State, Lashio, Taung Kham and Kyaukphyu have emerged one after another. This is because the interests of the two countries are related. When Xi Jinping met with Senior General Min Aung Hlaing in Russia, Xi Jinping said that China guaranteed and recognized Myanmar's sovereignty and that peace was necessary to prevent Myanmar from disintegrating. Since China is Myanmar's closest neighbor, it can be said that it is a diplomatic success for the people of Myanmar to achieve the desired results," he said.

Military and political analysts point out that China has become deeply involved and influential on Myanmar in the changing political landscape in Myanmar since February 1, 2021. 

Myanmar had long been concerned about China's influence, and it was true that China had quite influenced in some areas, political analyst Dr. Aung Myo told CNI News.

While Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and Chinese President Xi Jinping were discussing

“We have tried our best to avoid being influenced by China throughout history. But we have always considered China, whether it is Mongol China, Han China, or Manchu, to be more powerful than ourselves. So, we've been worried about China's power from the beginning. It's true that China has become quite influential in some parts of Myanmar. Now, we see many wrong policies. What is this? The government is not building domestic strength. We need to find solutions to the dissatisfaction of the people and the dissatisfaction of the ethnic groups, so that we can unite and resolve our political divisions. We will find solutions and treat China equally. Instead, if we have political differences, we'll have to butter China up, saying 'Yes, sir, Yes, sir.' Whether we like it or not, we have understood that we must treat China emphatically. Whether we like it or not, we have understood that we must treat China emphatically. We accept that we have to make reasonable concessions to China," he said.

Currently, China is intervening in Myanmar to pressure the Myanmar Tatmadaw and the Northern Alliance (MNDAA-AA-TNLA) to stop the fighting and is pressuring the alliance to hand over towns along the Myanmar-China border trade route to the Myanmar Tatmadaw.

In addition, Chinese President Xi Jinping demanded during his meeting with SAC Chairman Senior General Min Aung Hlaing in Russia in May, 2025 that measures must be taken to ensure the safety of Chinese people, Chinese companies and employees, Chinese projects, and Chinese investments in Myanmar.

Low formal education leads to violence

CNI News

14 June 2025

SAC Chairman Senior General Min Aung Hlaing said that acts of violence were committed by those with lower formal education and poor cognitive and thinking skills.

He made the remarks while meeting with education staff and children studying in Pyin Oo Lwin on June 11, 2025.

"If we look at the instability and violence that is happening in our country, we will find that they are happening more in areas with poor education. Due to poor literacy and poor cognitive ability, acts of violence are being committed, which is affecting the socio-economic lives of the region and the locals," he said.

Therefore, teachers should not only teach the children academically, but also teach them the knowledge and ideas that will enable them to distinguish between good and bad, and between cause and effect, he said.  

“According to the statistics collected, there is still a great need to improve the country’s education, with about 50 percent of the population being low in education." said the SAC Chairman Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.

The Ministry of Education announced on June 3, 2025, that for the 2025-26 academic year, there are over 4 million primary school enrollments (4,146,251 students), over 1 million middle school enrollments (1,344,236 students), and over 600,000 high school enrollments (628,773 students), for a total enrollment of over 6 million (6,119,260 students). 

Myanmar has a population of over 54 million, and that there are over 20 million school-age youth, but only over 6 million youths were enrolled in school, which is worrisome for the future, pointed out military and political analysts.

Currently, due to the ongoing fighting and regional instability throughout Myanmar, the rule of law is weak, and the ability to open schools is also weak. 

The Myanmar Tatmadaw ousted the National League for Democracy (NLD) government on February 1, 2021, and declared a state of emergency, claiming that the NLD was attempting to form a government without resolving the 2020 general election voter list dispute. And then, the battles began.

Currently, the NUG/CRPH which have been made up of some NLD leaders and members of Hluttaw, the PDFs and LPDFs including some EAOs are carrying out armed attacks to overthrow the Myanmar Tatmadaw and the SAC.

SAC changes the electoral law to the form it wants

CNI News

14 June 2025

The SAC will continue to change the electoral law until it is the form they want for the elections to be held in December 2025, U Myo Kyaw of the United Nationalities Alliance (UNA) told CNI News. 

The SAC chairman has told the people of Myanmar and the international community that the election will be held in December 2025. 

U Myo Kyaw said that holding such an election is just because the SAC wants the international community.to recognize the SAC's legitimacy.

“The Election Commission is formed by people they like. They issue regulations. They issue a law on party registration. But they have changed that law many times during their current rule. They have changed it until it is the way they want it. In other words, they are very unethical to loosen or tighten the law until they can have the upper hand. They only think about how they can have the upperhand and how they can have an exit. They don't look at the face of the country or the face of the people. They will hold elections because they want the legitimacy recognized by the international community." he said.

The Union Election Commission (UEC) told CNI News that elections will be held in 267 townships in Myanmar, and that the elections will be held in phases. 

It is reported that elections will be held in all regions and states in accordance with the priority plan except for the areas where there are restrictions due to geographical conditions,

While the SAC Chairman was meeting with political parties

In addition, the UEC said that the elections will be held under two systems: the first past the post (FPTP) system which was previously used and the proportional representation (PR) system.

Details will be announced once the relevant Hluttaw election laws and regulations are enacted, according to the UEC. 

It is known that SAC officials and the Election Commission previously met with political parties to discuss the law, but later there have been no such meetings.

Therefore, before the election law and regulations are announced, political parties should be invited and given a brief explanation, Sai Htay Aung, chairman of the Tai Leng (Shanni) Nationalities Development Party (TNDP), told CNI News.

“I heard that the election law and regulations are ready. In the past, the UEC used to invite political parties to meet and discuss. If they are about to issue the law, they should invite political parties and roughly explain the law to the parties. As they have said they will hold a dignified election, I don’t think it will be so bad. Ethnic issues are very important in political processes. I believe that political issues can be resolved politically only when representatives of ethnic groups are in Hluttaw" he said.

The UEC said that the voting machine will be used in the upcoming elections that will be held by the SAC and that it is working to obtain a national certification for the quality and standards of the voting machine in accordance with the Myanmar Standards Law (2014).

CNI News

13 June 2025

Projects to be implemented in Myanmar should not be suspended whenever there is a change of government, the National Democratic Force Party(NDF) Vice Chairman U Htet Aung Kyaw told CNI News. 

Myanmar governments have been known to cancel, suspend, and renegotiate projects that were previously implemented by previous governments in developing international cooperation projects. Foreign investors disliked this move, and a lack of trust developed, leading them to avoid investing.

U Htet Aung Kyaw said that a government would be held  accountable for the projects implemented by the previous government, and that the previous government could not be said to be unrelated to the next government.

While seeing the Myitsone Project

“Normally, a government is responsible for everything that successive governments have done. You can’t say that the previous government borrowed money and the next government doesn’t have anything to do with it. This is a matter of international affairs. The two governments will have to coordinate their work even though they get on well with each other, but the next government will have to be responsible for what the previous government did. This is a matter of common sense.

In Myanmar, during the reign of Senior General Than Shwe, an agreement was signed with the Chinese government to jointly implement the Myitsone Project to distribute electricity to Myanmar.

Then, when the government of U Thein Sein, who was elected in the 2010 general election, came to power, protests erupted demanding the Myitsone project be halted, and an order was issued to temporarily halt the Myitsone project.”he said.

Similarly, when Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's government came to power after the 2015 general election, the Myitsone project was not able to resume, and when the current Myanmar military overthrew the NLD government and declared a state of emergency, the Myitsone project was not able to resume and was suspended.

While seeing the Thilwa Project

Regarding projects, whether they are projects that have been linked to governments and signed MoUs or projects that have been implemented in the country, if they are not completed, the next government will review them to see if they are in line with the policies they have set, businessman U Aung Pyae Sone told CNI News.

"We need to work on principles, not on members of the previous government, and if we put aside our egos and only look after the good of the country, there is no reason for such projects to stop. We don't need to do the projects that the previous government did during our time. If we prioritize our ego, thinking that if we continue it, it will earn the previous government a good name, the country will suffer more than it will benefit. There will be an election soon. If a government comes to power, it needs to forget the idea that it might not continue what the previous military government, the previous NLD government, and the previous government did. We need to go with the idea that we will make this better. Otherwise, if we think that what the previous government did doesn't need to be done by the next government, and we only get such leaders, we the people will be in trouble." he said.

In Myanmar, foreign investment and projects often stop during periods of government change following elections, and during periods when the military overthrows an elected government and takes power.