Junta Leader Witnesses 7 MoU Deals in China

Of the agreements signed in China, two will face daunting implementation challenges, and the rest could bring modest benefits. Their greater significance may lie in Beijing’s conflict mediation efforts.

By ISP Admin | September 18, 2025

Photo – AFP

This Political Economy Tracker No. 1 (English Version) was published on September 18, 2025, as a translation of the original Burmese version published on September 17, 2025.

▪️Period

September 2025

▪️Regions

Direct effect to Kachin State and potential downstream effect to the entire country.

▪️Issues

From August 30 to September 6, 2025, junta leader Snr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing visited China. During the trip, he observed seven Memorandums of understanding (MoUs) signed between China and Myanmar enterprises.

▪️Groups Involved

The MoUs were signed between the following entities:

Transland Public Co., Ltd. with Yunnan Baoshan Hengyi Industrial Group Co., Ltd.
Shwe Than Lwin Holding Company Limited with China Harbour Engineering Co., Ltd.
Myanmar Radio and Television (MRTV) with Xinhua News Agency
Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI) with the China Association of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (CASME)
Myanmar-India-China Cooperation and Business Development Association (MICA) with CASME
Royal Green Ocean Co., Ltd. with Jiangxi Longzheng Technology Development Co., Ltd.
Platypus Public Co., Ltd. with China Enerever Solutions (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.

▪️Status/Development

Armed conflict in Myanmar continues to affect Chinese investment projects. These cooperation agreements, signed during a state-level visit, can be read as Beijing’s extension of good will to the State Security and Peace Commission (SSPC). Of the seven MoUs, one concerns media cooperation, two cover infrastructure development, two involve small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), one relates to the energy sector (electric vehicles), and one to chemical products. Notably, Yunnan Baoshan Hengyi Industrial Group Co., Ltd. and China Harbour Engineering Co., Ltd. are companies with state- and regional-level investments in Myanmar.

▪️Implications

Two of the infrastructure projects will face daunting implementation challenges due to the conflict and contested territorial control. SME cooperation projects are more likely to proceed, though their economic benefits may be modest. Nonetheless, such initiatives may indirectly support China’s broader efforts to encourage de-escalation through trade and investment incentives.