ข่าวเศรษฐกิจและธุรกิจประจำสัปดาห์

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  Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) increased under the NLD government (U Set Aung, Deputy Minister for Planning and Finance)

  Foreign direct investments (FDI) have increased under the NLD government, said U Set Aung, deputy minister for planning and finance. “The total approved FDI during the two years from April 2016 to the end of March 2018 under the current government is 16 percent of the total FDI approved during the entire period from 1988 to March 2016. That is why progress is being seen in the investment sector,” he said at the Pyithu Hluttaw meeting held on November 13. When the Myanmar Foreign Investment Law was passed in 1988, 1110 foreign businesses were allowed to invest during the 28-year period and total the investment amount was US$63.7 billion.
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  How Myanmar can benefit from the worsening trade war between the US and China, which is shifting both supply chains and industrial clusters

  Back in July 2018, Myanmar Business Today highlighted how an awakening U.S. economy and its emerging trade war with China could benefit Myanmar. After four months, where do things stand now? A recent report from Reuters highlighted the fact that, “The trade war between the U.S. and China is shifting both supply chains and industrial clusters, mostly towards Southeast Asia.” Well, this looks promising for Myanmar, but how should they proceed, and what should Myanmar keep in mind? We reached out to Brock Silvers for his thoughts on the situation. Mr. Silvers is a Multi-Asset Strategist and founder of Kaiyuan Capital based out of Hong Kong. He’s also a regular guest on: BBC’s Asia Business Report; Australian News Channel’s Sky News Business; Singapore’s Money FM 89.3; CGTN’s Global Business; and other media outlets.
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  Preparation for 7th MSMEs Regional Products Exhibition and Competition in Yangon is underway to promote regional products and to develop a network among micro, small and medium enterprise entrepreneurs from the states and regions

  Preparations are underway to hold the 7th MSMEs Regional Products Exhibition and Competition in Yangon. Yangon Region Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein on Wednesday inspected the preparations for the opening of the 7th Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises exhibition and competition. It’s organized by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Committee. The upcoming Exhibition and Competition will take place at Myanmar Expo (Fortune Plaza) to promote regional products and to develop a network among Micro, Small and Medium enterprises entrepreneurs from the regions and states.
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  President proposed the formation of a new Ministry for Investment and Foreign Economic Relations to the Union parliament to promote sustainable, accountable and responsible investments in Myanmar

  YANGON — President U Win Myint proposed the formation of a new Ministry for Investment and Foreign Economic Relations in a letter to the Union parliament on Tuesday, as foreign direct investment falls amid low business confidence and concern among Western investors over the Rohingya crisis. Attorney General U Tun Tun Oo presented the request on behalf of Win Myint, explaining that the ministry would promote sustainable, accountable and responsible investment on behalf of the state and its citizens and would also manage economic assistance from the United Nations and international organisations. Win Myint’s proposal, which will be debated on November 15, comes as the government struggles to meet its foreign direct investment targets. In the fiscal half-year from April to September, the Myanmar Investment Commission approved US$1.8 billion in foreign investment, well below its $3 billion half-year target.
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  German firms are interested to invest in Myanmar’s water and waste water infrastructure

  German companies will be travelling to Yangon, Nay Pyi Taw and Mandalay to explore Myanmar’s market focusing on water and wastewater infrastructure and a conference on the topic is hosted by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) and the German Water Partnership (GWP), in collaboration with the German Embassy in Yangon. “A lot of the infrastructures need to be modernised and upgraded in terms of water and waste water in the big cities, including Yangon and Mandalay, it is a starter. Our German expertise can help. “We do not only offer high tech and newest machinery. We also offer partnership and system and help to get ahead here,” said Martin Klose, delegate from the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Myanmar (AHK Myanmar).
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  Myanmar Economic Bank granted loans to rubber processing plants in Mon State in order to produce higher quality rubber

  Myanmar Economic Bank has granted loans to rubber processing plants in Mon State, in line with the recommendation from the Mon State Government, according to Rubber Entrepreneur Association. The bank has formed a committee for loans in order to provide financial services to rubber processing plants so that they can produce higher quality rubber. “Loans are granted depending on the plants. Around 30 enterprises have applied for loans, and ten of them have received loans. The rest will get loans if they meet the requirements,’’ said Ko Chan Aye Aung, Joint Secretary of the association.
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  Tourism authorities plan to add Kyaukka village to the list of tourist destinations in the Myeik archipelago

  Tourism authorities are working on a plan to add Kyaukka Village to the list of tourist destinations in the Myeik archipelago, according to the Myeik Tourism Entrepreneurs’ Association. Located in Palaw Township of Myeik District in Taninthayi Region, Kyaukka Village is situated on an island in the shape of a crab’s pincers. The village has over 1,000 households and a population of 4,470 people. The villagers have built houses on stilts over the water, and rely mainly on fishing. Tourism authorities are making arrangements to develop the village into a tourist spot, as it has great potential to attract both local and international visitors, the association said. Currently, operators are offering two main tour packages in the Myeik archipelago, which include trips to the Donnyaunmine Village and Samat island.
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  E-commerce in Myanmar expected to develop fast in next five years as legislation on the back of growth potential

  E-commerce in Myanmar is expected to develop fast over the next five years, when legislation governing the industry is targeted to come into force. “Despite being left behind, Myanmar has mostly leapfrogged the era of shopping malls and other modern trade platforms into the digital age. In Myanmar, the modern retail trade will expand according to GDP but e-commerce will grow exponentially,” said Daw Win Win Tint, chair of the Myanmar Retailers Association. Things could develop even faster if the forthcoming legislation is aligned with the ASEAN e-commerce agreement signed in Singapore on November 12. The agreement, finalised after nine rounds of negotiations which started last June, aims to facilitate cross-border e-commerce transactions and foster greater regional growth, said Chan Chun Sing, Singapore Minister of Trade and Industry.
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  Daw Aung San Suu Kyi sought to drum up foreign investors to interest in Myanmar

  State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in Singapore yesterday sought to drum up investor interest in Myanmar, couching the country’s economy as “Southeast Asia’s final frontier market with innumerable investment opportunities.” Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was delivering her keynote speech at the 2018 ASEAN Business and Investment Summit in the city state, where ministers from 16 Asia-Pacific countries, including Japan, China and India, also began talks to reach an agreement on key parts of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free-trade pact before the year end. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi invited businesses across ASEAN to invest responsibly in Myanmar’s priority sectors, including agriculture and its related services.
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  Japan- Thailand Joint Venture negotiation with Myanmar government is still ongoing for the establishment of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant capable of generating 399 megawatts near Yangon River in southern Dala Township

  YANGON, Oct. 30 -- A Japan-Thailand joint venture is negotiating with the Myanmar government over establishing a liquified natural gas (LNG) plant capable of generating 388 megawatts, the official Global New Light of Myanmar reported Tuesday. Under the project worth of 350 million U.S. dollars, the joint venture TTCL Public Company Ltd will build a combined cycle power plant in the compound of Yangon's Ahlone Power Plant and an LNG terminal near Yangon River in southern Dala township, an official of the TTCL said.